Wheelchair Santa

Saturday, December 25th 2004, 5:51 pm

By: News On 6

The former owner Of the Seattle Seahawks has become a 21st century Santa Clause, delivering Wheelchairs to amputees Worldwide. Gary Nuremberg has The Story of Kenneth bearing, who has spent about 70 Million Dollars on the Campaign, so far.

Itâ€™s happening Worldwide, The Wheelchair Foundation providing wheelchairs to the disabled, who, like this woman In Zimbabwe, often have to crawl to get where they want to go. Founder ken bearing sometimes makes the gift in person.

â€œ I think the most important thing is showing somebody you care because so many people need that.â€

When this man in Guatemala told bearing doctors wanted 100 dollars to amputate his leg, 25 dollars more to provide anesthesia, bearing counted out 125 dollars.

â€œHe handed the 25 dollars back to me and said I donâ€™t have to be put to sleep...I said no, no, I want you to be put to sleep and he couldn't believe someone was helping him, giving him this.â€

A week later bearing got a call.

â€œHe had his leg off...he was in a wheelchair, his wife had found a job and he was home taking care of the children, doing the cooking and they were a happy family. It meant his life and not only his life but the life of the family.â€

The wheelchair foundation has handed out 350 thousand wheelchairs worldwide but bearing says 20 million are needed. All he wants In return, he says, is a smile.

Bearing became aware of the worldwide need for wheelchairs when he was delivering food to refugees in war zones. It was that experience that inspired him to create the Wheelchair Foundation.

http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/