Developed out of necessity

Hi my name is Cheryl
I was the fifth child born to my parents, and the only one who was born without legs. I don’t think of myself as being disabled, I'm just short. When I was growing up, I never let not having legs slow me down. I found ways to get around to keep up with my friends, by getting a skateboard. I was grown up and getting married when I realized the challenges we’re just beginning for me. I wanted to have children of course. Several years after getting married, I got pregnant with my son..talk about challenges ! Two years later my daughter came along. I raised my two babies on my skateboard..as I didn't yet own a wheelchair.

32 years of my life, I used prosthetics and had to use crutches. But as great as it was being tall within the “normal” world, they had draw backs for me. I could see everything on the top shelves when I went shopping, but because of having to use the crutches, I couldn’t carry anything in my hands. After having my children, I pretty much stopped using my prosthetics and just kept using my skateboard. Now that made things easier in some aspects..but I was back to being “short” again. And not being able to reach things on the top shelves really put a damper in my life for me. I would sit and wait for some nice person to come by and I would ask them to please get something down for me. The hours of my life I have lost waiting for help is just ridiculous.

I had a vision of a wheelchair that would adapt me to the world, making my life easy and independent. I told a few wheelchair companies my idea..and they thought it was a good idea, but that it just couldn’t be done. Well I am a stubborn woman..and I knew my idea was a great one, if I could just find the right person to build it for me. Years later, I met the guy who would do just that for me. I told him my idea, and asked him if he could design and build one for me, and he said “yes, I can do that for you”. He designed it and built our very first elevating wheelchair which I named “ New Heights”.This wheelchair was inspired by me, and designed and built by David.

The reason this wheelchair is such a success to me is that has changed my life. I can go from a normal wheelchair height, to 6’2". When I used my prosthetics I was only 5’6. But now I can reach the top of my shelves in my home or when I'm out shopping. I can do it without the help of anyone. I can do things independently for the first time in my life .I can talk eye to eye with people, which makes one feel good as though you are not being looked down upon. I can go low to talk on a children's level. I have a choice, one that I have never had before, and I must tell you that it makes me feel like I'm on top of the world! I have a freedom that I have never really known and I'm loving it !!!