Ellie Strong: The Road Ahead

While her NICU stay was relatively uneventful for a micro-preemie, those early weeks came with lifelong complications. Today, Ellie lives with Cerebral Palsy and three rare genetic disorders. This combination has led us down a long road of surgeries, hospital stays, and the daily rollercoaster of medical complexity.

The Challenge of Every Day

Ellie is a primary wheelchair user, and she is also autistic. As she grows, the physical challenge of transferring her into a standard car seat has become overwhelming. Between her behavioral challenges, physical limitations, and the mountain of medical equipment she requires for every trip, a standard vehicle is no longer a safe or viable option.

Safety on the road now requires more than just a specialized seat; it requires enough space for a nurse to sit right beside Ellie to handle medical needs and provide constant supervision. Whether we are heading to school or to medical appointments, having a professional within reach is a necessity to keep her stable and safe during the ride.

For a long time, we knew a wheelchair-accessible van was a necessity, but the financial hurdles of managing Ellie’s specialized care made that goal feel out of reach. We worked hard to keep our heads above water, but life recently took an unexpected turn.

A Crossroads for Our Family

Recently, Ellie’s dad, Josh, and our three oldest children were involved in a car accident during the school drop-off line. While we are incredibly grateful that everyone is physically okay, the aftermath has been a different kind of struggling. We were able to get our car back, but the financial strain has reached a breaking point. Between deductibles and the weight of maintaining two car payments while dealing with income restraints, the situation has become unattainable. It is incredibly difficult to work consistently when you have a child who is constantly in and out of the hospital.

Why We Need Your Help

We have officially reached the point where it is time to get the right vehicle for Ellie. A wheelchair-accessible van would mean Ellie can get to her specialists, therapy, and school safely and comfortably, without the physical strain of difficult transfers and frequent need to pull over for medical attention.

Because the cost of these specialized vehicles is so high, we are partnering with Help Hope Live, a national nonprofit that specializes in medical fundraising.

Your support will go directly toward:

• The purchase of a reliable, wheelchair-accessible van.

• Ensuring our entire family can travel together safely.

• Bridging the gap that insurance and traditional financing cannot cover.

Every donation is tax-deductible and managed by Help Hope Live to ensure it is used specifically for Ellie’s mobility needs.

Thank you for being part of Ellie’s village and helping us restore our family’s independence.