Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Toyota gives paralyzed bride a mobility van

Mobility-van-toyota-wedding-gift

In the 14 months after bride-to-be Rachelle Friedman took a paralyzing fall at her bachelorette party, she'd become pretty dependent on her wheelchair-accessible loaner van.

Little did she know that Toyota planned to hand one over as a gift for her wedding--postponed until this week in Raleigh, N.C.

Toyota and Braun--a manufacturer for wheelchair-accessible van conversions--had lent Friedman and her fiancé a Toyota Sienna with a BraunAbility Rampvan to make life a little easier in the months following the accident that rendered her paraplegic.

Before that, her mother had been carrying her in and out of the family's SUV to go to wedding-planning events, physical therapy and hospital visits.

"The van's made all the difference in the world," Friedman said. "Not only has it saved my mom's back, it's just made it so much easier to get out and do things. I've missed this level of comfort, convenience and independence."

Friedman and her fiancé tied the knot on July 22. After the wedding, Braun marketing director Joe Garnett and Toyota manager Scott Heyer presented them with the 2011 Braun Toyota Sienna.

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