MobilityWorks
Accessibility for all: Helping people connect with who and what matters most
Family and friends of Michael “Mike” Bechaver are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund expenses associated with Catastrophic Injury.
Mike has always been the guy who would give you the shirt off his back but now he needs some help to get his quality of life back. Mike was a truck driver on a mission to lose weight and get healthy after getting to over 450lbs. He had weight loss surgery in 2017 and was on a good road to his goal of 200lbs. when he was out walking his daily 8 miles and was hit by a pick up truck while in a cross walk.
Updates (4)
October 25, 2020
Mike’s family moved in with his parents on September 12th to help with his father’s failing health, and on September 17th his father passed away. His family is helping his mother to continue living independently and Mike is enjoying the time he gets to spend with her since his father’s passing. He is the primary driver to assist her to get to doctor appointments and run errands so his need for a wheelchair accessible van has become more imperative. He would like to be able to go out in his power wheelchair but he cannot take it in the vehicle he currently has. In order to transport his power chair someone who can lift a 40 lb ramp and strap down his chair in the trailer is required so he uses his manual wheelchair and does his best to get in and out of the car safely. Often he has fallen trying to get into the car or he gets stuck under the steering wheel and has to crawl up on the drivers seat to get in the car. Back in July Mike fell out of his manual chair on the ramp outside his home and broke his left pinky and ring fingers which has made it very difficult to get around in the manual chair. He is facing the possibility of losing his ring finger on the left hand now due to the break being unable to heal. A different vehicle that allows his power chair to drive right into the drivers seat would make his quality of life improve a lot so that he doesn’t have to continue to damage his hand and could allow it to heal.
Mike is very grateful to everyone who has already donated to his campaign and is working to raise funding as soon as possible to make his dreams of complete independence come true. Mike’s fiance Alison is an artist and is donating all profits from her work to his campaign. Currently she is selling her art photography in the form of post cards, coffee mugs, t-shirts, and note cards as “Art for Mike”; at www.etsy.com
August 30, 2020
Mike’s surgery went great and he is recovering well. They found a bone spur that was causing him pain and damaging the muscles in his leg so with that removed he should heal and have a lot less daily pain.
He is struggling to get around without a accessible vehicle since surgery and has had two instances where he almost fell to the ground trying to get into the car from his chair. His life would be so much brighter and safer if he just had a vehicle that was accessible for him.
Photo Galleries (1)
Guestbook
August 8, 2020
Mike , We pray that you Stay strong, and positive We will always be here for you . We love you!
Michael / Jennifer Ortibez
