The family of a young Surrey boy who suffers from a rare genetic disorder is celebrating after receiving a life-changing gift from a surprising source.
Five-year-old Jack Cholette has Trisomy 5p, a condition that's left him legally blind, hearing impaired, and with muscles so weak he can't stand or hold up his head on his own.
The disorder is so rare that fewer than two dozen children in the world have it.
In February, his struggling parents, Hope and Ben, started an online fundraiser in the hopes of upgrading their home to make it more safe and accessible for their son.
One key item the family wanted to purchase was a wheelchair platform – and as it turns out, the timing of their plea turned out to be serendipitous.
"A day or so after our campaign was aired on CTV, I received an email from a gentleman by the name of Deon asking if I would be interested in a used wheelchair platform," Hope wrote in an update on their fundraising page.
"A few emails and a phone call later I found out he was from BC Ferries and they had one sitting in the warehouse unused."
The Cholettes said BC Ferries has even promised to install the lift at their home, with employees from the maintenance department volunteering to help.
"This is a $25,000 gift," Hope said. "That’s what it would have cost us to buy it and install it. We won’t be able to thank them and their team enough."
It's unclear how much the family's other home upgrades, including the installation of an accessible washroom and widened doorways that Jack's wheelchair can fit through, will cost, but they have raised more than $29,000 from nearly 200 donors.
His parents said they're overwhelmed with the support they've received.
"We have spent a lot of time in awe of people’s amazing kindness," Hope wrote. "Thank you again to everyone for helping Jack, this has been amazing results in just a month."
