Motor TrendFull-Size Ford Wheelchair Accessible Van Donated by Ford

Mobility systems for handicapped individuals deliver freedom to many families. The ability to transport persons with disabilities, young and old regardless of reason, are life-changing capabilities. But the cost of these mobility vehicles and systems can often be limiting especially for families with limited incomes and multiple children. For the Manning family from Deerfield, Wisconsin, these limitations were all too real, until gifts from Ford and Mobility Works were recently presented as part of "Live with Regis and Kelly's" 16th Mom's Dream Come True special. Five extraordinary women were honored on the program's annual Mother's Day special.

Mom Fredricka Manning was submitted for consideration to the show by the Mannings' close friend, Elyse Screnci, who was well aware of the amazing challenges before this family. In her letter to "Live" she included these comments to help convince the show's producers how much a mobility-equipped vehicle could help them:

Fredricka [Manning] is the mother of five children, all boys, Frank 11, Roman 9, Willis 5, Marko 3 and Pierce 16 months. Her fourth son, Marko, was deprived of oxygen during his delivery, which left him severely handicapped. As a result, Marko is legally blind and deaf, does not swallow, crawl, sit, walk, or talk. Unfortunately, that will never change and he will never be able to care for himself in any way. Fredricka is his main caregiver and works tirelessly with Marko's many complex needs in addition to caring for her four other boys.

Marko spent three months in the ICU after his birth and was never expected to live longer than a year. Due to his inability to swallow and therefore his unprotected airway, Marko's biggest threat against his life is pneumonia and it is a constant threat. However, at three years old he is increasingly heavy, is confined to a wheelchair and is lifted in and out for anything that needs to be done with him. To say that Fredricka's world fell apart the day Marko was born is a vast understatement. However, with great love for this child, as well as his brothers and her husband, she has held her head high and done all she can to make their family life a happy one under extremely difficult circumstances.

Marko now requires a wheelchair that is too heavy to lift in and out of a normal vehicle. What I wish for Fredricka for this Mother's Day is to have a handicapped accessible van that can accommodate her entire family. The Mannings are no longer able to go anywhere as a family. Fredricka ends up staying at home with Marko when her husband, Mark, and the boys travel to attend school events, sporting events, playground play dates, etc. They are not able to go to church together or even to the grocery store because there is no vehicle to transport Marko in or one in which the seven of them can travel together.

After being chosen as one of the mothers to be featured on "Live with Regis and Kelly," on May 12th, 2006, the Mannings were presented with a new full-size Ford wheelchair accessible van, donated by Ford Motor Company, featuring mobility products supplied by Mobility Works.