Local kid gets lift thanks to Easter Seals
Posted Jun 6, 2013 12:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Walking into the Martindale home of Matthew Thierren, visitors can see the look of relief and gratitude on family members’ faces.
Thierren was trampled and paralysed at a heavy metal concert in December of 2011.
This week, Easter Seals and volunteer businesses installed an elevator, free of charge, to the young man and his family.
Up until now, the 21-year-old had been confined to living in his upstairs bedroom
“This means a billion things,” he smiles. “Just being able to go downstairs, go outside, up and down the block, it’s amazing! From not being able to do it for the last 16 to 18 months… it’s something else.”
It was all thanks to the Give a Kid a Lift program, providing extensive home renovation and custom home elevators to deserving families in Calgary.
Matthew’s mother Rebecca says this will be the start of a new chapter in their lives.
“Really it’s going to give me back my independence as he becomes more independent,” she says. “Right now I’m pretty much tied to whatever he wants and I do everything for him and it’s never bothered me in the least.”
“It’s truly a labour of community commitment and we’re so honoured to be connected with such a worthy project,” says Susan Brown CEO of Easter Seals Alberta.
