The Locke family of Carthage, Tennessee, gathered with friends, loved ones, and their community to celebrate a milestone they had been working toward for years: the arrival of their very own accessible vehicle, made possible through Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund, a branch of the Jett Giving Fund.
For Kristi and Justin Locke, raising their three children – 12-year-old Deklan, 4-year-old Layla, and 2-year-old Juliet – has always been filled with love, resilience, and determination. Deklan, who lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is an explorer at heart and loves spending time with friends, going to school, and even running everyday errands with his mom. But in recent years, the family’s unreliable vehicles and the difficulty of transporting Deklan safely began to limit those simple joys.
“We applied [to the Jett Giving Fund] because for our family to do anything to our fullest as a whole outside of our house, we need this van,” shared Kristi. “This sweet boy would give anything to be able to go to the grocery store with me again. He loves it. He wants a way to be able to go to his friends’ houses. He is an explorer. I want him to have that feeling back.”
Now, thanks to the support of the Jett Giving Fund and Duchenne community, Deklan’s wish has come true. The Locke family finally has reliable, safe transportation that will allow them to explore, adventure, and enjoy life together, without the constant worry of breaking down or unsafe transfers.
The family is already dreaming big about what’s next after getting in their van in July. “To be able to go out and explore any adventure we want, no matter how small or big… It’s genuinely going to be life-changing,” Kristi said. With excitement, they’ve even nicknamed it “The Flash Van,” and plan to add yellow lightning bolt decals to raise awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and celebrate their new chapter.
The difference this van makes goes beyond adventures; it brings peace of mind. For years, the Lockes relied on a car that often needed repairs, required wheel chocks to stay in place, and sometimes wouldn’t even start. Now, they can safely go wherever they need, whenever they want.
To other families still waiting for their van, Kristi offered words of encouragement: “Just please know that you will get this vehicle if you put your mind to it. Do not have a doubt at all or it can cloud how fast you can get there. And know that it may not happen right away or may not be at the timing you want. I believe 100% that it will happen at the right moment in time, how it was planned out before we even knew about it.”
Jett Foundation is honored to celebrate alongside the Locke family and cannot wait to see where “The Flash Van” takes them next!
The Accessible Vehicle Fund is a branch of Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund program and helped transform the lives of countless families across the country since its inaugural cycle in 2017, gifting over $5.5 million worth of accessible vehicles, small medical equipment, and emergency assistance thanks to the generous support of individual donors, local communities, and major sponsors including Cure Dale’s Duchenne, The Flatley Foundation, Sarepta Therapeutics, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Finn’s Friends, ITF Therapeutics, Kindness Over Muscular Dystrophy, The Killian Family, Michael’s Cause, Robert E. & Marie Orr Smith Foundation, and Ryan’s Quest.
You can assist families impacted by Duchenne through the Accessible Vehicle Fund, Emergency Fund, and Equipment Assistance Fund by donating today or reaching out to Maura Carroll, Director of Development, at [email protected] to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.If you or someone you know is in need of support or would like more information on our Jett Giving Fund, please visit www.jettfoundation.org/giving-fund.
