Wheelchair-bound man grateful for independence of Habitat home

Times Globe February 3, 2001
Brad Janes - Neighbours

David Foley is riding high these days.

Not surprising considering the Massachusetts native is watching his beloved Boston Bruins make a charge toward the NHL playoffs.

Flashing back to the early 1990s, it was difficult to imagine Mr. Foley expressing any high emotional moments.

Mr.Foley, a Canadian citizen since 1980 thanks to his father being from the land of the Maple Leaf, was preparing for another day as a painter in the winter of 1992 when the van he was riding with co-workers became stuck in the snow.

Out to help push, the van rolled back, pinning Mr. Foley.His spine was compressed.

“ I went through some surgeries after the accident and there was another surgery in 1994 that made it worse,” said Mr.Foley, confined to a wheelchair since the life-altering accident. ‘The whole thing just caught me by surprise. I don’t know how to explain it.”

One day Mr.Foley is going about his business. The next day life as he knew it was snatched away.

Katelyn, now 11, was just a baby for Mr.Foley and his wife Kerry.

Other children arrived with Anthony, now nine, and Megan, now six.

Living in a cramped Milford rental, Mr.Foley could feel himself disillusioned with life.

The family of five was in tough circumstances.

“The place we were in was only, say 25 feet long and only 15 feet wide,” he recalled. “There was five of us and throw my wheelchair into that, too. It was really small and everyone had to walk around me. I had to sit off in the distance.

“All I had was a little path to move around. I couldn’t go into my children’s room to kiss them goodnight. Kerry had to help me to the bathroom because it wasn’t accessible.”

So much has changed for the Foley’s now.

Hearing about Habitat for humanity, Mr.Foley applied to the program.

He only dreamed about being selected by the organization and qualifying to have a handicap-accessible house constructed.

Mr. Foley passed the criteria based on need for the construction of a house. He also had to pay for a long-term mortgage and partner with Habitat on future projects.

“They were in a pretty depressing situation,” said Habitat for Humanity president Debbie Rice of Saint John. “ Those coming to us have to meet our criteria and with the three builds I’ve been involved with, we’ve been very fortunate with our families.”

It was a pretty easy decision for Mr. Foley.

Now living in the Randolph house that is handicap-accessible, the transformation has been amazing since the Foley’s moved in last November.

“It helps us with a hand to make it possible to be a homeowner,” Mr. Foley said “It was such a big morale boost. It’s about independence. It’s just a great program.”

Not a day goes by when Mr. Foley can’t help but think back about his former situation in the old place his family shared.

“It was frustrating because I couldn’t do anything, but the house Habitat built is totally accessible and I’m now involved,” he said, “ I can cook, clean, do a wash, have my own shower. It’s given me the independence to come and go as I please.”

There’s a lot of sweat equity going on in the program and it’s not what you would consider a gift by any means.

The program is about helping others who just need that extra lift to get through some difficult times. The Foleys and other families who have benefited can certainly tell what it’s meant to them.