The Keierleber family is supported by BraunAbility, and their local dealer, American Lift Aids, in Beaumont, TX. When you purchase a mobility product from BraunAbility, you join a powerful community.
Texas natives now living in Florida, the Keierleber family recently became Disney World annual pass holders, where Tricia Keierleber’s daughter, Annie, enjoys riding park rides and meeting her favorite character, Minnie Mouse. The family lives six hours from Disney and drives their BraunAbility wheelchair van, a Toyota Sienna Hybrid, to the parks often.
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Living with Spina Bifida
Annie is in many ways a typical teenager. She enjoys trips to the local mall, arts and crafts, and of course, trips to Disney. However, Annie has a unique story: she was born with Spina Bifida and was adopted by the Keierleber’s in 2009. Annie’s mom says Spina Bifida is a misunderstood diagnosis. “When we adopted her and people heard Spina Bifida, they were scared. She has an incredible life”, Keierleber said. “I knew she'd probably need a wheelchair, but that didn't bother me. We chose her because so many had passed on her knowing her diagnosis.” Today, Annie lives a happy life as a 13-year-old, relying on her bright pink wheelchair and the family’s accessible van to get around.
The BraunAbility Toyota Sienna Hybrid Wheelchair Van
Five years ago, the Keierleber’s did not have an accessible van, but as their daughter grew, they knew an accessible vehicle would be life changing. Tricia said, “When we first got it, it was early on, so we were grateful for it, but we didn't see how much we needed it until later. We were grateful to have it looking forward to the future.”
Tricia emphasized “Now that she’s an adult size, we would not be able to leave the house. Like her wheelchair gives her freedom, [our wheelchair van] gives us freedom to leave the house.”
The Toyota Sienna is fitted with a side-entry power ramp, allowing Tricia to get Annie in and out of the vehicle with ease. The accessible van also has wheelchair securement tie-downs so Annie can ride safely in her wheelchair, avoiding the need for transfers from her wheelchair in and out of the vehicle.
Wheelchair Vans Help Caregivers
While the family wheelchair van is vital to helping Annie enjoy daily life, the van also helps Tricia, who was previously in frequent pain after repetitive lifting of Annie and her wheelchair into the family’s non-accessible vehicle. Tricia said, “I was in pain all the time, even though she was little enough to pick up, I shouldn't have been picking her up. We had to pick her up, put her in her car seat, and then put the wheelchair in the back. It was a lot to load and unload her into her car seat, and then unload and reload the wheelchair.” She continued, “It's so nice to just be able to go somewhere. Wheel her in, lock her down, and we're good to go.”
Accessible Travel in a Wheelchair Van
The family’s favorite wheelchair accessible travel destination is Disney World. Tricia said, “We [lived in] Texas and we became pass holders because it’s so accessible there. We [thought] ‘we have to take Annie more often’, so we started driving. We were 14 hours away, and we’d go four times a year.”
Now living in Florida, the Keierleber’s are six hours away from Disney World, and they drive their wheelchair van to the parks often. Tricia said, “We moved to Florida so we could be closer. That’s why we go so often, because they really try to meet her accessibility needs more than anywhere else.”
Wheelchair Vans Change Lives
Tricia attests that the Toyota Sienna Hybrid has changed her family’s lives. She said, "I think anyone in a wheelchair needs to have an accessible vehicle because they're beneficial for everyone involved. I know if we didn't have [the van], we would never have left the house. The van is our freedom. It allows us to be able to leave and go anywhere.”
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