New Hope Family Loses Wheelchair Van in Fire
A weekend fire in New Hope destroyed one family’s most essential mode of transportation. But donations from the community may help to replace it.
The ordeal began for the Jacobson family when they awoke to a loud knocking just before 4 a.m. on Saturday.
“We got woken up at like 3:45 a.m.,” Nikki Jacobson told CCX News. “Pounding at the front door. Apparently it was a Door Dasher, we didn’t know, but it was a woman … and then a cop came to the back door, so they were both pounding on the doors. And then once my husband, he saw the flame through the big window in the back, then we got moving.”
The flames were coming from the Jacobson’s detached garage. The family left the house and watched safely as it burned.
Firefighters extinguished the flames before they spread to any homes.
A garage fire in New Hope destroyed a family’s handicap-accessible van.
No one was hurt, but the family’s handicap accessible wheelchair van was destroyed.
The family used it to take their 27-year-old son Lucas, who has cerebral palsy, anywhere he needs to go.
“We use it pretty much always,” Lucas said. “To go to community events, church and things at church, all kinds of different restaurants.”
A friend offered to set up a GoFundMe campaign for the family.
“She called and asked if she could set that up, and we’re like, ‘no, that’s too weird,'” Nikki said. “But then she convinced us.”
Since Saturday, the campaign has taken off. As of Wednesday afternoon, 345 people had donated more than $30,000.
“It’s overwhelming,” Nikki said. “People that you don’t even know are giving … it’s amazing.”
The family says the donations will help with the nearly $70,000 cost of buying a new van. And even though their garage is filled with charred metal and soot, their hearts are filled with feelings of gratitude.
“Our little thank you cannot express what this means,” Lucas said. “I mean, this means mobility.”
