It was an emotional, but happy morning at Elizabeth Park Elementary in Paradise as the family of a young boy who must rely on a wheelchair following a medical emergency earlier this year was gifted an accessible van.
A teary-eyed group of supporters clapped and cheered as 11-year-old Jake Anstey was wheeled out of the school, family and best friends by his side, to the vehicle.
Jake’s had a difficult journey this year. He suffered a cardiac arrest in January that left him with severe brain damage, spent several months in hospital, and must now use a wheelchair to get around.
His mother, Lisa Loveless-Hodder, recently highlighted issues with accessible transit in Paradise. That’s when Bursey’s Bus Service and Get Messy NL stepped in to get the family a specialized vehicle.
Not only did the family receive the vehicle, but other costs are also being covered by Bursey’s such as the first year of insurance and a $2,000 maintenance credit at one of their commercial garages.
Loveless-Hodder recalls asking her husband how to say thank you for a gift of that size.
“The gift is bigger than the van. The gift is Jake’s freedom and our family’s freedom.”
Jake poses for a photo with four of his best friends, who came out to share the special moment with him.
Four of Jake’s best friends were at his side for the special moment, and even helped get him into the van for the first time.
Loveless-Hodder says Jake’s friends love him, and treat him the same as they did before.
She says Jake understands everything that’s going on around him, touchingly noting that “now instead of him running down the hallway they push his wheelchair down the hallway for him.”
Jake sits in the back of the vehicle.
Lisa Loveless-Hodder sits in the driver’s seat for the first time.
The family is handed over the keys by Evan Bursey (owner of Bursey’s Bus Service), and Jennifer Hiscock and Joanne Newman (co-owners of Get Messy NL)
