Two weeks ago, we got to deliver a little Holiday cheer in the form of accessibility thanks to
the incredible volunteers and driving forces behind our youth-to-adult peer support program, Here Now Next.
Matthew and Gilbert are a couple of 25-year-old men with very particular tastes. Whereas Matthew is a big movie buff and avid baseball fan, Gilbert is all about his Seahawks and a crush on pop superstar Miley Cyrus. They also happen to be vent-dependent quadriplegics – Matthew from a rare disease when he was 12, Gilbert from a fall before his first birthday.
We met the duo earlier this year when the Here Now Next development committee connected with the leadership of Ashley House Northwest, a nonprofit organization that serves medically fragile children, youth, young adults and their families in Washington State.
Both Matt and Gilbert have lived at local Ashley House family homes for the better part of their lives, and have created a bond as housemates that transcends their particular differences in tastes. Fervent gamers who are extremely active on their computers, eachwere missing crucial piece of the puzzle that could greatly improve their lives: independent access to their own cell phones.
Little did they know, a tech titan of a mentor in H&NP founding member, and fellow high quad of nearly 40 years, Todd Stabelfeldt, was about to shake things up in the best of ways.
Todd was paralyzed by an accidental gun shot in 1987 at the age of eight, and spent decades forging a path of purpose through dark ages of assistive technology to become an entrepreneur and CEO of his own database management company. He got started as the face of the original Nintendo’s adaptive controller in the 90’s, and later as the initial flag bearer of Apple’s game changing accessibility setting Switch Control in the early 2010's.
When Todd found out that both young men were still relying on nurses and caregivers to send texts and make calls, he sprung into action, spending multiple days working from the road to source the proper cables, cases, and other equipment while marshaling his various industry connections to arrange for their installation in time for Christmas.
Todd’s day gig kept him from participating in the final leg of the project, so fellow Here Now Next mentor and lifelong advocate Matt Clark joined Executive Director Kenny Salvini at Matthew and Gilbert’s place to supervise the installs. A couple of hours from work from the skilled hands of Shannon Fouts and Matt Hallstrom from Permobil was all it took before Matthew and Gilbert were swapping Switch Control settings and tips, themselves.
Once the work was finished, Matt Clark held up a mirror so Matthew and Gilbert could admire their new setups from all angles, and the smile on Matthew’s face said it all. “It looks just like Todd’s!”
Huge thanks to Todd and the rest of the crew for going above and beyond this holiday season to give these two a new level of access and independence.
Комментарии