Help Me Help Joe - NEWS
See the news related to my quest to help Joe get victory over paralysis caused by Transverse Myelitis.
Joe has created a Facebook page called Living with Transverse Myelitis - Joe's Journey, so you can track how he is doing and post positive comments that will lift him up.
Photo: Don Lulay (representing Lulay's Car Connection and The Lulay Group), Joe, and Rob Weathers in front of Joe's wheel chair accessible van and power chair. Click the fun photo I captured of Don, Joe and Rob. See the full story next...
Don's opening comment to me was, "God works in mysterious ways"! Rob Weathers is a long time family friend and leads the dirt work on Don's crew. After spending the day digging out the concrete area for Joe's ramp on Thursday, he talked to his mom and they decided to donate his dad's power chair to Joe!
Well that wasn't the end to Rob's involvement in this story. On Friday (the very next day), the same concrete crew was working a job in a different city and a guy in a wheel chair comes riding up to them to make chit chat. One thing lead to another and he mentioned that he just got a brand new wheel chair accessible van and wanted to know if they knew anybody that might want to buy his old one for cheap... they instantly thought of Joe, so they got a hold of Rob. Rob and Don talked about it and Don and decided they would buy the van for a foundation that Don is starting up. When Rob went to the guy's house at 8:00AM Saturday morning Rob tells the van's owners that Don is starting this foundation and they have somebody in mind that could use the van. The woman had been studying her bible when the door bell rang and here is Rob telling her the plan and then tells what happened to Joe. The woman began to tear up and asked Rob to wait while she went and talked to her husband. Upon her return she announced to Rob that she and her husband wanted to fully donate the van to the foundation so they could provide Joe with a van! Then they stuffed a wad of cash in Rob's hand and told Rob to tell Joe's girls to go and have a nice meal... and that is just what he did!
These great donations will now pay it forward as long as they exist. As we pray for Joe's full recovery some day, this van and power chair will eventually move on to the next person in need. It is amazing to see how the community is joining together to continue to Help Me Help Joe.
Not to be lost on the day... tonight Joe ventured out with my family and attended church with us at Morning Star Church in Salem. A nice way to finish a great day and week full of God's great blessings.
Today I am sharing stories of two of those gifts. First, Joe got to meet with his employer for the first time since TM on Friday and his employer presented him with a Bonus Check that covered all but $20 of his rent check! Second, a co-worker came up to me at work and when she found a $100 bill in a shoe that she and her husband just purchased (a "Benny") - they looked at each other and said, "Let's donate this to Larry's friend Joe" (I'm sure the "Benny" guy/gal would feel great about that).
It is giving hearts like these and others that are helping us realize that communities can gather together and make a huge difference. Considering all the crap happening in the world, it sure is nice to see love exhibited in so many ways.
Don Lulay (representing Don Lulay Homes) met with Joe last night, and work began at Joe's house today! Click the fun photo I captured of Joe with Don.
Added PayPal as a donation option.
Joe was interviewed today on KGW News Channel 8 and you can see the 2:38 minute interview here.