The family of a young man, rendered quadriplegic in an accident nearly four years ago, is asking the community for help. They are hoping to raise money to help with an important step in his independence.
Kyle Esford’s life changed forever in December of 2019. Just 25 years old at the time, a late-night craving for junk food led him to walk his bike along a country road near Ottawa.
Kyle was hit by a car and injured severely, leaving him with a litany of injuries.
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“The only bones in his body not broken, to put it that way, were his arms and his hands. Everything else, including his face, everything was broken,” said Kyle’s mother, Nicole Esford.
The road to recovery has been long for Kyle.
Doctors told his mom that he would likely never leave the hospital, that his quality of life would be limited, and even brought up the possibility of letting him go.
However, Kyle persevered, and these days he can jokes easily as he hangs out with his family.
The one thing holding him back is mobility. He spends much of his time at home, but is really hoping to be able to get out more and can’t because of the difficulty of securing affordable accessible transportation.
“He needs to be able to get out. He hasn’t been to a store. He can’t go anywhere because his transportation is a problem,” said Kyle’s Grandmother, Ruth Chiles.
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She’s has taken it upon herself to begin fundraising for a wheelchair accessible van so the soon-to-be 29-year-old can gain some independence.
“He could, you know, do a lot more … feel a little bit more normal,” added his mother.
So far they’ve received a commitment for $3,000 after reaching out to various churches, but the vehicle itself will cost around $6,000 plus an additional $2,000 for insurance, safety and more.
Through all the hardship he has faced, Kyle’s family has helped him every step of the way and now they’re hoping that the community will band together to do the same.
Kyle says the first thing he would do if they were able to get the van is to simply go for a drive.