Nathaniel Deshon Burkholder

Nathaniel loves seeing the world—even when he’s looking at it through the pages of a picture book. Mountains, flowers, snowy landscapes, and the Grand Canyon can hold his attention for hours. He’s especially drawn to fire trucks and classic cars, a love he shared with his dad.

But Nathaniel’s favorite moments happen when he can get out and be part of things. At 24, he loves music, movies, trips to the store, and bowling with Special Olympics. Put on a song and his arm starts moving to the beat. His mother, Sherri, says he loves being around people, and his smile brings joy to the people around him.

We’re raising $35,000 to help Nathaniel’s family get a wheelchair-accessible van.

Nathaniel has cerebral palsy and has used a wheelchair since a severe seizure and stroke when he was seven. His family previously had a van with a seat that lowered to the ground, but Shari still had to lift and transfer him into it. As Nathaniel grew, she could no longer do that safely on her own. After his father died in 2024, the family could no longer afford the van payments.

Today, Nathaniel and his mother Sherri rely on scheduled transportation. It helps him get to some appointments and activities, but trips must be arranged in advance, pickup times can be unpredictable, and service is unavailable on holidays.

What an accessible van would mean for Nathaniel

A van that lets Nathaniel travel in his wheelchair would give the family more freedom to:

• Get to medical and dental appointments, including care Nathaniel needs in Miami.

• Enjoy more Special Olympics bowling, movies, and outings together.

• Visit family and friends, including on holidays.

• Help Nathaniel explore a volunteer role where his love of people can shine.

Sherri also hopes to take Nathaniel to a fire station someday—a visit he would surely remember.

Sherri is Nathaniel’s full-time caregiver. She and his sister do everything they can to support him, but purchasing an accessible van is beyond the family’s means. Your donation can help bring them closer to safe, reliable transportation and open up more of the world Nathaniel is so eager to experience.

Please give if you can, and share Nathaniel’s story with someone who might want to help. Thank you for being part of his journey.