An article in today’s North County (California) Times by Noelle Ibrahim explains how the community of Oceanside pulled together to make a spinal muscular atrophy family’s dream come true. It provides proof that people in this world really do care.
John and Chris Wehner’s two daughters, Amy (9) and Linsey (11), each have spinal muscular atrophy type 2, which means they each use power chairs to get around. Unfortunately the family’s 1,100 square foot house is a bit cramped for the girls and their chairs. Unable to afford to expand the home themselves, Mr. and Mrs. Wehner applied unsuccessfully to get on the ABC program Extreme Home Makeover, which rebuilds or renovates homes for people in need.
That’s when the community stepped in and decided to do it themselves.
A family friend, Mickey Keen, who works with a local developer, started the ball rolling two years ago when he realized the family needed help. After making a trip to the Wehner house to help build a new closet for Amy, he enlisted his firm, Standard Pacific, to draw up plans to make the house more handicapped-friendly. Volunteers, including contractors from several companies, started renovations on the house in January, adding a large family room, creating larger bedrooms for the girls, constructing a handicapped-accessible bathroom and expanding the kitchen. In the end, the size of the house doubled.
From the article:
“You know how sisters are, they like to hang out together and now they’ll be able to,” said Chris as she stood in what would become the extended kitchen. “Now, they’ll actually be free in their own home and not restricted by their environment.”
Teachers at Temple Heights Elementary and Roosevelt Middle School, which Amy and Linsey, respectively, attend, have also donated funds to a benevolent account, to pay for any materials that haven’t been donated.
To donate to the cause, make checks payable to Linsey and Amy Wehner and mail them to Washington Mutual, 1641 S. Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92081 with account reference No. 0314-0000172380-4.
You can read the entire article here. San Diego television station KNSD also did a story on the family’s renovation. You have to sit through a commercial, but you can see the video here.
