Lincoln County friends, meet Claire. At age 10, Claire had a heart transplant. Let that sink in for a minute. 10 years old…heart transplant. The heart transplant was successful, but at age 12, Claire was told she had a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy which has since taken a toll on her overall health. Now a beautiful 19 year old young lady, Claire is no longer able to walk on her own and is on a ventilator to help her breathe. Her independent spirit is quickly outgrowing her physical abilities.
I met Claire, after seeing a social media post from a friend who shared her need for an electric wheelchair. She told me there was a lady in Wright City who would sell her one for $350, but she needed some help to purchase it. Claire had started a “Go Fund Me” account and had been able to raise a few dollars. I have to say, I was a bit skeptical that a $350 electric wheelchair would be in good serviceable condition, but I decided to check it out.
I met with the seller, Nancy Talbert of Wright City who greeted me at the door of her home and showed me to a bedroom. In the bedroom was a brand new electric wheelchair that she had purchased for a family member, who had unfortunately passed and never had the opportunity to use it. Nancy told me she had been in contact with Claire and had agreed to sell her the ($3,000 new) electric wheelchair for $350.
The Lincoln County Firefighter’s Foundation purchased the chair and I delivered it to Claire today. I also had the pleasure of talking with this positive and independent minded young lady and her family for more than an hour.
Thank you to our LC Firefighter’s Foundation supporters and Nancy Talbert for being the good people you are. Today, you gave a very sweet young lady more than just an electric wheelchair, you gave her independence. Well done.
Claire, enjoy your new ride. You deserve it.
Information in this article and photos, posted with Claire’s permission.