Ok more than a thousand, way more!

Many of our family and friends have talked about doing a fundraiser for Kai over the past year. At first I resisted. We were doing ok and I’v NEVER been good at asking for help. Asking to help other people sure, but not me.
People have been helping anyway. Many people in many ways. Sweet cards in the mail. Dinner on my doorstep. Girls night out! Babysitting. Gas cards. Donations to the causes that are helping kids with cancer. Countless phone calls and emails, prayers and love.
We have been very lucky.
Right before things took a turn for the worse with Kai my mom started back in on the quest to organize a fundraising event. Kai’s needs change sometimes daily and she could see that there were things we needed that we were not able to keep up with.
Mainly we needed a new vehicle that would safely fit Kai’s wheelchair.
Being down to one income since Kai’s diagnosis a big car payment, for a larger car, was going to be pretty near impossible for us. So mom set out to try and help.
Then Kai got worse. Much worse and it was just to much for any of us to be putting energy into anything but Kai. At the same time, we have been traveling more than ever to appointments with the medical stroller sitting next to him in the back seat, ready to fall on him at every turn.
Unbeknownst to me, my Uncle Al and aunt Margie, took matters into there own hands, leaving myself and my parents free to care for Kai.
About a month ago I started hearing that my aunt and uncle had started a raffle to benefit Kai. They didn’t ask, they just did it, which meant I didn’t have to stress about it and I couldn’t say no. I have to say, as the person on the receiving end of a thing like this, I really appreciated that ( again I am not good at asking for or accepting help, even when I need it).
Of course my mom still had her hand in it, all the while spending as much time as she could with Kai.  She shared our story with a local car dealership, Balise Huyndai in Springfield, MA and they were on board to find a way to help.

I am still in shock, between the fundraiser and the help from the dealership we are now the new owners of a 2010 Huyndai Santa Fe! Kai can sit safely in the backseat without fear (my fear) of being squished by the heavy metal base of his wheelchair. The base and seat now fit safely and securely in the cargo space BEHIND the back seats.  I also no longer have to worry about getting Kai to appointments in the unpredictable New England winter weather.  AND Kai and I can once again travel with other members of our family! We can fit all of Kai’s supplies, Kai, Mark, myself and even the dog in one car! I really didn’t think this was going to be possible.  I can honestly say that before this car, there were trips, events, errands that I would skip for not wanting to put Kai at risk in the backseat with his chair.

We are now free to travel safely again, and we have been taking full advantage!  Kai has been on the go for the past few weeks, enjoying his new ride and visiting friends.
Gigi would not have been able to come to camp with us in october in our old car.  I am so thankful we were able to make that trip with Kai, and I now hope for many more like it!
I can not thank you all enough for your generosity in making this happen for us!
A special thanks to my aunt Margie and uncle Al for all of your hard work and effort in organizing this and spreading the word for Kai!  Thank you for easing my mind and allowing us to spend as much quality time with Kai as we can, doing as many fun and wonderful things with him for as long as he is with us!  Working together you have all lifted a heavy burden from my family and we are forever grateful.
I look forward to one day being able to pay it forward in someway to help other kids and other families like you have done for us.
It is truly remarkable what a community of people can do when working together!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Xoxo