A Help Hope Live Client Case Study with Drew Boniface
Part of the New York Catastrophic Injury Fund
OVERVIEW
Athletic and vibrant Drew Boniface sustained a life-altering spinal cord injury in March 2025. It was not his first brush with devastating change: less than a year prior, the teen and his family had experienced the shattering loss of Drew’s father.
THE PROBLEM
Drew faced a long road to re-establishing his athleticism, strength, and independence while living with quadriplegia.
Progress would be impossible without extensive out-of-pocket costs, including securing 2 pieces of technology that could transform his life: a revolutionary iBOT power chair and a cutting-edge ARC-EX device designed to improve hand and arm strength and sensation for SCI survivors.
THE SOLUTION/APPROACH
Drew’s family found Help Hope Live just 2 months after his injury.
While they had first turned to GoFundMe, Drew’s sister soon discovered the potential drawbacks of using GoFundMe for fundraising and suggested Help Hope Live.
Drew’s rehab team at Shepherd Center confirmed that we were the strongest and safest choice for medical fundraising.
THE OUTCOME
In less than 1 year, their community raised over $140,000 for Help Hope Live in Drew’s honor.
Help Hope Live subsequently funded an iBOT for Drew, and he became the first Help Hope Live client to successfully fundraise for an ARC-EX.
The Help Hope Live Touch
Drew’s mother received fundraising support from Help Hope Live to make the most of their community outreach, but she was also able to empower members of their community to work with us directly.
With one-on-one assistance from a Client Services Coordinator, Drew’s team brought multiple fundraisers to life. Thanks to Help Hope Live’s nonprofit status, they were even able to partner with an existing charity event in their community.
“Drew remains Drew—resilient, funny, kind, and fiercely determined.”
