Elderly Man Moved To Tears When First Responders Build A New Wheelchair Ramp For Him After Injury

May 22, 2019 by apost team

Ken Peterson shares a home with his beloved wife in Sunnyvale, California. The home that the couple has shared for decades holds many fond memories.

Like many elderly couples, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are finding home maintenance to be much more difficult than it was in the past. Their bodies are no longer as agile or flexible as they used to be.

Peterson has been using a wheelchair for the past 10 years after having a stroke. He needs a ramp to come and go from his home. Over time, weather and consistent use can deteriorate these ramps. The couple couldn't afford to fix or replace their ramp, and Peterson wasn't able to perform any repairs on his own.

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The structural integrity of the ramp probably wasn't Peterson's firth thought when he suffered a fall on May 13. Although the fall didn't cause any serious injuries, Peterson did have bruises, cuts, and a swollen hand. The couple called for help as Mrs. Peterson was unable to lift her husband off the ground.

First responders from the local area rushed to Peterson's house and helped the elderly man to stand up. During the incident, the first responders noticed that the home's wheelchair ramp was falling apart and rotting. In fact, a paramedic even fell through the ramp during the call.

The team realized that this deteriorating ramp wasn't safe for Peterson to use on a daily basis, especially after he suffered a bad fall. They decided to do something about this dangerous situation. After the emergency call was complete, the team thought that repairing the ramp should be the next project.

One of the paramedics broke the news to Peterson's wife over the phone. He mentioned that the team intended to build a new ramp for the couple. Peterson was speechless when he learned about the kind act from his wife.

Mrs. Peterson was shocked by the gesture and kept asking the paramedics if this was something normally performed by their team. One of the paramedics admitted that repairing wheelchair ramps wasn't in the job description verbatim, but the team was happy to help in any way they could.

On the same day of the call, the team of paramedics gathered some tools and materials. They removed the broken ramp and built an entirely new ramp from strong wood. Peterson was able to guide the team with suggestions about specific nails and screws. He had worked in carpentry for four decades before retiring.

What a lovely act of kindness, don't you think? Let us know what acts of kindness and love you have witnessed in your community and don't forget to show this story to your loved ones to spread the kindness!