INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A former local firefighter is seeking your support. A spinal cord injury left him in a wheelchair, but he has never let that limit his everyday activities.
Now he’s in a national competition for a new van that would make life better and easier — and all he needs is you to tap or click.
Rod Lambert knows no limitations; he has places to go.
“Disability does not stop me,” Lambert says. “This wheelchair, I keep on going.”
His van is his connection to the outside world. The 2000-year model vehicle, however, is becoming less reliable.
It’s getting rusty, and replacement parts are becoming harder to find. When they are found, they cost a lot more.
So Lambert has entered a national competition through Superior Van and Mobility. The company is awarding new high-tech vans to four local heroes around the country. The people who get the most online votes win.
Lambert has come a long way since his injury at the age of 23.
On May 23, 1995, the former Wayne Township volunteer firefighter was thrown from a fire truck. The crew was responding to a building alarm. On the way, the truck flipped multiple times.
One firefighter killed, two others were hurt, and Lambert never walked again.
Lambert doesn’t focus on the past, since he has so much to do today.
“So I feel like, if this is the way it’s going to be, I’m going to accept it, pick myself up and go,” Lambert said.
You can tap or click here to see Lambert’s listing for the competition. To vote you have to register on the voting site with name and email, but no other personal information is asked. You can vote once a day through May 31.
Republished with permission from The Indy Channel