Excerpt from: DNAinfo.com (click for full article)
Winsome Williams knew
she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy began pouring into the Shore
Parkway apartment she shares with her adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy
and relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.
"I
saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her
out?'" Williams recalled.
Soon,
firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a relative's
third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she lives.
Mother
and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.
Neither
did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep slightly elevated and not
gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device known as a DynaVox that allowed
Schevon to communicate by pressing a touch-screen was unclear.
In
the wake of Hurricane Sandy, disabled New Yorkers say they
have even greater obstacles to overcome to recover from the storm. The loss of
handicap-accessible apartments and important equipment has left some in
difficult situations.
Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy
began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her
adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric
wheelchair to get around.
"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.
Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a
relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she
lives.
Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.
Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep
slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device
known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a
touch-screen was unclear.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy,
disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome
to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments
and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.
Read more:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121113/kensington/for-disabled-new-yorkers-effects-from-hurricane-sandy-linger-for-months#ixzz2CgHDKoEd
Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy
began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her
adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric
wheelchair to get around.
"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.
Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a
relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she
lives.
Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.
Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep
slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device
known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a
touch-screen was unclear.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy,
disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome
to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments
and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.
Read more:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121113/kensington/for-disabled-new-yorkers-effects-from-hurricane-sandy-linger-for-months#ixzz2CgHDKoEd
Winsome Williams knew she'd have to act fast when the floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy
began pouring into the Shore Parkway apartment she shares with her
adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric
wheelchair to get around.
"I saw the water rising faster and faster and said, 'How am I going to get her out?'" Williams recalled.
Soon, firefighters were carrying a tearful Schevon, 32, up to a
relative's third-floor apartment in the walk-up building where she
lives.
Mother and daughter survived — but Schevon's $5,000 electric wheelchair didn't.
Neither did the $2,000 hospital bed that allowed her to sleep
slightly elevated and not gag. Meanwhile, the fate of the $7,000 device
known as a DynaVox that allowed Schevon to communicate by pressing a
touch-screen was unclear.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy,
disabled New Yorkers say they have even greater obstacles to overcome
to recover from the storm. The loss of handicap-accessible apartments
and important equipment has left some in difficult situations.
Read more:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121113/kensington/for-disabled-new-yorkers-effects-from-hurricane-sandy-linger-for-months#ixzz2CgHDKoEd
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