Raising Funds for an Accessible Van
Michelle and Logan Tribble live in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and are currently navigating a life with a Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosis. Logan (12) was unexpectedly diagnosed with Duchenne at seven years old when it became clear he was progressively having issues with ambulation. In addition to receiving a diagnosis for her son, shortly after Logan’s diagnosis, Michelle discovered she was a carrier of Duchenne. Logan also has an older brother, Gabriel (13), who lives with an autoimmune disease, type 1 diabetes.
Duchenne is a progressive neuromuscular disorder that causes a loss of motor, pulmonary, and cardiac function. There is currently no cure for Duchenne. Logan is entirely dependent on his mother for everyday care and transportation. Their current mode of transportation is increasingly unfit and unreliable for Logan’s needs as well as their needs when traveling together as a family.
“I have become worried that we will get stranded when traveling or won’t be able to make it to Logan’s medical appointments,” says Michelle. “Logan gets nervous loading into the school bus because of the lift, so I try to transport him as much as possible. I am also increasingly reluctant to take him for outings as well because the vehicle we currently have continues to have mechanical issues. It’s heartbreaking because Logan loves to explore the outdoors and he’s already so limited on how he can do that, that my having anxiety about taking him to drive around the lake or local walking path makes it even more heart-wrenching as a parent.”
The Tribble Family heard of the Jett Giving Fund while attending Camp Promise in 2023 and engaging with Jett Foundation via social media. Attending Camp Promise – Rockies fueled Logan’s appreciation of the outdoors. One of Logan’s favorite hobbies is birdwatching. He lovingly named a male cardinal “Flapjack” who often feeds at the feeder outside his bedroom window. Logan looks forward to riding his power chair around his neighborhood but often expresses a desire to go to new destinations that their current vehicle is unable to accommodate.
As participants in Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund branch of the Jett Giving Fund, the Tribble Family will aim to raise half or more of the funds needed for their accessible vehicle before Jett Foundation steps in to cover the remaining costs and purchase the vehicle outright.
“I’m really looking forward to getting a van where I can feel comfortable,” says Logan.
The Tribble family has met their fundraising goal and received accessible transportation thanks to supporters like you! You can still support our program and future program participants with a gift to Jett Foundation today:
Donate Today
All donations to Jett Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed under applicable law and is an unrestricted contribution to the Jett Giving Fund. The family is working to raise half the funds needed for their van or more; when they reach their goal, Jett Foundation will cover the remaining costs and coordinate purchase and delivery of the vehicle.
