The Hinsons' BraunAbility vehicles

Before having an accessible vehicle, the Hinsons had to lift their son in and out of the family car. Hinson said, "Henry would have to be transferred from his power wheelchair. He would have to take his manual wheelchair. Henry has a lot of trouble with his shoulders when he uses a manual wheelchair. He feels more comfortable, confident and independent in his power wheelchair, but we couldn't get that into our regular vehicle," she said.

Hinson said getting around before having a wheelchair accessible vehicle was complicated.

"As he was getting older, it was getting harder and not as safe to transfer him from his wheelchair to the car. Getting a wheelchair accessible vehicle really changed the game for us because we can get Henry safely to all the things he wants to participate in," she said.

Initially, the Hinsons selected a BraunAbility RAM ProMaster with a side-entry lift, a vehicle typically used for commercial purposes. When they needed a smaller vehicle for everyday use, they chose a wheelchair accessible Chrysler Pacifica. The vehicle features a side-entry infloor power ramp, allowing Henry to roll in and out independently, as well as a wheelchair securement system that allows him to ride comfortably from his wheelchair.

"I think about what our family goes through on a daily basis. To remove any barriers is a win. Even just removing the barrier of having to transfer Henry from one seat to another seat, that's a victory for us because he can now just wheel into the van. We clip him in and he's safe, and that offers peace of mind," Hinson said.