Jenni Lerback sat in her new wheelchair yesterday while an equipment specialist worked with her mom, Flo Lerback, on the fit of the chair.
Donation turns grief
to gratitudeA couple gives their daughter’s
wheelchair to a disabled woman
Every day, Karen and Milton Hashimoto would return to their Aiea home and see the empty wheelchair in the garage, a painful reminder of their daughter Dana, who died of a rare chromosome disorder in February.
On Monday, Karen Hashimoto found a home for her daughter's wheelchair, and, perhaps, a bit of the closure she has sought in her grief.
A fellow worker at Easter Seals of Hawaii sent Hashimoto an e-mail with a May 15 Star-Bulletin article about a severely disabled woman whose wheelchair was stolen.
On May 10, thieves took 30-year-old Jenni Lerback's specially designed wheelchair and orthopedic stroller when they stole her mother's car from their Pearl Kai apartment. The car was later abandoned, but the expensive wheelchair and stroller were gone, leaving Lerback, who is deaf, blind, mentally retarded and unable to speak, essentially housebound.
Hashimoto said Jenni's mother, Flo Lerback, brought Jenni over Wednesday night to be fitted into the wheelchair.
The wheelchair was a real blessing and seeing Jenni in Dana's chair "was something special," Flo Lerback said.
"It was chickenskin to watch her; it was like someone was with her. Mrs. Hashimoto was crying and said, 'I bet Dana's with her.' Mr. Hashimoto was very touched by it, too."
Karen Hashimoto said: "Jenni was so happy. She started smiling and cooing and chuckling to herself.
"I said (to Dana), 'We found someone for your chair, but I think you found her, Dana.' We were so excited and so happy someone could use her chair. Some things are just meant to happen," she said.
Norman Kawakami, senior vice president of Easter Seals, had sent out the e-mail asking his co-workers for help in locating a youth-sized wheelchair for Jenni.
Flo Lerback was able to get a loaner wheelchair, but it was not custom-fitted with a molded seat and back like Jenni's, which supported her severely twisted torso. She was born with scoliosis (curvature of the spine).
Flo Lerback said the loaner was too big to fit through the door or maneuver around their tiny apartment, so she had to carry Jenni about twice as often as before. The loaner chair also wasn't collapsible, so it couldn't fit into her car and she couldn't take Jenni anywhere.
Hashimoto said she saw the e-mail, thought of her daughter's wheelchair and said, "This would be perfect for her."
Dana was about the same size as Lerback and it was equipped with bolsters to keep her from sliding about in the chair -- just what Jenni needed.
Lerback said she is grateful for the offers of help the family has received. She has been flooded with calls from people wanting to donate cash, equipment and caregiving help, as well as services offered by from government and charitable agencies.
Because she cannot jeopardize Jenni's federal Medicare and Supplemental Security Income benefits by accepting anything over $2,000 in cash in Jenni's name, Lerback said people may send checks in care of her name: Florence K. Lerback, 98-150 Lipoa Place, Apt. 102, Aiea, HI 96701-4805. She is setting up a separate bank account for this purpose.
Since Jenni already has a wheelchair, the money will be used to buy an orthopedic stroller, which costs about $1,200.
Lerback said a wheelchair can't fit into the bathroom or other tight places, so she needs a stroller. She also uses the stroller to transport Jenni on short trips because it is easier to set up than the wheelchair, which has to be disassembled to fit into their car.
