Give Ahmad the ability to leave the house and enjoy life by helping him reach his goal to buy a dependable wheelchair accessible van!

Ahmad is 23 years old and has Frederich's Ataxia, a rare incurable disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. People suffering from Frederich's Ataxia lose coordination over time, which leads to loss of the ability to walk, and other complex health issues. 

As a child, Ahmed enjoyed running in the garden and just being a "normal" kid. He loved to mimic the sounds of frogs in his backyard. He was fond of climbing the monkey bars.  He would chase the grasshoppers and butterflies. He enjoyed riding his bike. He was unstoppable and full of energy.  Unfortunately, everything changed when he started falling and tripping for no reason at age seven. After many trips to specialists, being poked and prodded by needles, and long stays at hospitals, doctors at the Children's Hospital in Detroit finally diagnosed Ahmed with Frederich's Ataxia.



As Ahmed slowly lost the ability to walk, he would often get teased and bullied by kids in school where they would call him jelly legs. Ahmed was forced to wear a helmet to school as the school district did not want to be liable for Ahmed if he fell. It crushed Ahmed's spirt that he could not just be normal. Keep in mind, although Frederich's Ataxia affects the body, It does not impede cognitive ability. The final blow was when Ahmed became wheelchair bound. He lost interest in almost everything and would often ask things like, "Why was I born?" or "Why did this happen to me?" 

A  few years ago, Ahmad's family managed to buy and fix a wheelchair accessible 2000 Dodge Caravan. This gave Ahmad the ability to go to college, his medical appointments and try to enjoy the outdoors on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, someone decided it was ok to attempt to try to steal a handicap accessible van and ripped out all the wiring from under the dashboard trying to start the van. Despite the fact that they were unsuccessful at taking the van, they caused major electrical problems. These problems affected the van's ability to open and close the ramp, turn on headlights and, worst of all, start the van regularly. The family has taken the van to multiple mechanics, all of which said it would cost more than the van is worth to track down and fix the issues. Even then, the mechanics said no guarantees. 

Ahmed's mom is his caretaker but also takes care of his two younger siblings alone, which prevents her from being able to work. Ahmed's family is thankful for any assistance you can offer to help get Ahmed back to enjoying life to it's fullest.