There’s something incredible that happens when a community comes together to help those in need. In this case, Austin NARI members worked for two days to give an individual in the community, Andrew Wheeler, something he didn’t have access to for over a year — the world outside his home.
After suffering from a health crisis about two years ago, Wheeler was confined to a wheelchair. While in the hospital, he reached out to a contractor to build a wheelchair ramp for his house. Unfortunately, this ramp was not built to code and he was unable to use it.
Wheeler made countless calls to organizations within the community to have somebody build a new ramp without luck and, for over a year, he sat in his house unable to feel the sunshine or fresh air. He finally connected with Cindy Lee, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Austin.
Lee was able to use her partnership with Austin NARI to bring other members together to provide resources and materials to build a ramp for Wheeler’s home and give him access to the world outside. Local businesses such as CG&S Design-Build, Peoples Mortgage Company, ET’s Home Repair, Gaiennie Lumber and our team at TimberTown Austin joined together for two days to give Wheeler a safe and secure way to exit his home.
As a result, Wheeler was able to once again experience the feeling of being outside. What started as a hopeless situation turned into a celebration of teamwork and renewed joy. This project shows how people with different skills and resources can come together and provide something invaluable to a member of the community.
A special thank you to all the pros and businesses who partnered with Rebuilding Together Austin and Austin NARI on this project.
