Help a Disabled Mom & Her Son Get Back on the Road
Hello, my name is April. I’m a 51-year-old single mom living in a small town in South Dakota with my 10-year-old son, who is my whole world. We both live with significant mobility disabilities, and today, I’m asking for your help.
A couple of years ago, someone poured sugar into my gas tank and sabotaged my only vehicle. I’ve spent over $2,000 trying to fix it, but no mechanic has been able to save it. At this point, it’s a goner.
We desperately need a reliable vehicle.
Because of our health conditions, walking long distances isn’t an option. We have very limited public transportation in our area, and without a working vehicle, it’s nearly impossible to get groceries, make medical appointments, or just manage day-to-day life.
My son has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) — and not just any type, but one of the most severe forms. CMT is a progressive, inherited neurological disorder that affects the peripheral nerves. It causes muscle weakness and atrophy, especially in the legs and feet, making walking incredibly painful and exhausting. He already struggles with mobility at such a young age and faces a lifetime of increasing difficulty. He also requires regular visits with a specialist who is three hours away from our town.
As for me, I’m also living with multiple serious spinal conditions:
Degenerative Disc Disease
Two types of Spinal Stenosis
Ruptured discs
And most frightening of all, I’m at high risk for Cauda Equina Syndrome, a rare condition that could leave me permanently paralyzed if not treated quickly in an emergency.
I’ve fought for years to get disability and now live solely on that income. I have no nearby family and only a small circle of friends, none of whom are in a position to help. I don’t have the funds to buy a vehicle, even a modest used one. But a working car would mean everything to us — independence, safety, access to medical care, and a basic sense of normalcy.
Our Goal: $25,000
This amount will go toward purchasing a reliable, safe vehicle suited to our needs, covering initial registration and insurance, and making any necessary modifications for accessibility. It will also help with travel costs to and from my son’s specialist, three hours away, and ensure we can get to local medical appointments, the grocery store, and other essential places without constant struggle.
If you can donate — no matter how small — or even just share this page, it would mean the world to us. We are not giving up, and with your help, we can move forward.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
—April & my amazing son
