Armand, a quadriplegic, first got involved with Wheeling Forward about three years ago. “Alex helped me because my wheelchair was completely unusable for a person with a spinal cord injury.  I couldn’t push it around at all.”

Armand had also been living in a nursing home, but he felt very restricted there. As such, Wheeling Forward provided Armand with a suitable wheelchair and helped him find housing so he could move out of the nursing home. “Alex introduced me to ICS [Independence Care System], and they help us make sure we have all the health services we need to live independently in the community. They got me homecare, all the equipment I needed, and I was able to move out of the nursing home.”

Armand moved into the housing on E 99th St. He has more freedom than the nursing homes ever gave him. “Still a little restricted here, but… you know. It’s better than a nursing home. Like, a million times better. I go out when I want, I come back, I sleep when I want, eat when I want, eat what I want… I have my own TV.”

Armand’s life has improved in other ways too since moving. “I have a social life. I have friends. And I’m studying and building my future. It started a little late, at age 33, but you know, that’s okay. Thank God.“