Ladies and Gentlemen... I'd like to announce that thanks to you and your caring support Eric is in his new wheelchair!!! It's been sixteen months since the obvious conclusion (Eric has outgrown his wheels) was reached. Sixteen months of letters, tears, emails, phone calls, phone calls about emails, emails about phone calls and on and on and finally - Eric has what he needs. It's been an uphill climb from day one but thanks to you Eric is now able to move about and soon will be able to talk and move about at the same time. Eric feels incredible gratitude, well beyond his ability to express it, as does his Mom... Now her son can move about and as his Mother Judy joyfully puts it, "get away from mom in Walmart.” Most of us, me included find it easy to take being able to walk across a room or avoid the glare of the sun through a window for granted. Eric has had to hope that someone would recognize that he wants to move or struggle to communicate the simplest of concepts. He can really be a ten-year-old kid and go wander Walmart without having to have someone push him around. While the fitting was taking place it was hard for some of us present to hold back tears. This child has literally been a prisoner subject to what others understood, today his life is changed. Do not forget that while it is wonderful that Eric finally has this most basic of needs met there are literally thousands of people nationwide that are in a similar position and have needs every bit as great as Eric's. These folks sit waiting for some lower level functionary to simply move a piece of paper or somebody in the basement of an insurance carrier's office to pick up and use the "approved" stamp. Sadly, many of these people have no idea that the pieces of paper represent the needs of real, flesh and blood people. Eric has a chair that will see him through adulthood and beyond, at last! I've attached several pictures, among them Eric in his new Chair next to the old one… You'll look at this and I'm sure, just like I did be aghast and astonished at the example provided. It's been so incredibly clear that this chair needed to be replaced for so long, only someone who could deny Eric's humanity could say he should be able to continue using the existing chair. As the originator of this petition I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. When I started this I was happy to have collected a couple hundred "signatures" from people I knew on FB or elsewhere... I had no idea that this would gain the momentum that it has, it truly has been a once in a lifetime event for me and my heart swells with gratitude. I am a professional advocate for people with disabilities and never in my experience of now 42 years have I seen an outpouring of support and care as I have for this child. I am honored and in awe of the authority and power that this effort as developed. I personally am deep in debt to each of you. You have my utmost respect and appreciation. On behalf of my firm (Abacus Care Coordination), Eric's Mother Judy. the rest of Eric's team and a very happy little boy - I Thank you. With respect and gratitude Robert Croley Abacus Care Coordination P.S. I know of another child whose mother has an incredible idea that will benefit many in her community and I may call upon your support again.