Chrysler gives new 2012 Dodge Caravan to a deserving 15 year old.

Such a simple act – piling into the family vehicle to go to the mall, a picnic or out to eat – wasn’t possible after Alberto’s life-changing accident last summer. Alberto, an energetic 15-year-old from Willimantic, Conn., was paralyzed from the shoulders down in a freak surfing accident at Narragansett Beach in Rhode Island.

The Cruz family didn’t have a vehicle that would accommodate Alberto’s specialized wheelchair. For a time after the accident, the family would transport their son the short distance to his high school in a box truck, securing his wheelchair to the floor with ropes as a family member tightly held the wheelchair in place.

That all changed yesterday when Chrysler Group LLC, the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA), and other sponsors presented a new wheelchair-accessible 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan to Alberto and his family at Windham High School as Alberto’s immediate family, relatives, friends, teachers, and even the cheerleader squad celebrated the moment.

“This minivan is going to help us out a lot,” said Alberto’s mother Ruth Cruz. “We are a close-knit family and we like to do things together, but we weren’t able to go out as a family. Now, we can get Alberto in the van and just take off.”

During yesterday’s minivan presentation, Alberto easily maneuvered his power wheelchair into the lowered floor of the Dodge Grand Caravan using a rear ramp. The wheelchair ramp and other alterations were made by BraunAbility and Ride-Away.

Alberto is one of three national winners of a “Local Heroes” contest that NMEDA created to award three individuals with new wheelchair-accessible vehicles and provide them with a forum to share their stories of triumph overcoming their disabilities and how their customized vehicles will further empower them in their active lifestyles.

Despite his grueling therapy sessions after the accident, Alberto chose to continue his schooling and remain connected with his community. This moved his teacher, Lynn Frazier, who nominated him as a “Local Hero.” The community did the rest, rallying around the youth by voting for him online in droves.

Immediately following the festivities at the high school yesterday, the Cruz family drove off in their new Grand Caravan to dinner – a Chinese buffet – at Alberto’s favorite restaurant.

 

**Courtesy of Chrysler Blog