Local mother hopes to get handicapped accessible vehicle for son

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) A Northeast Philadelphia mom of a teen who is severely handicapped is on quite a mission to make her son's life the best it can be.

Jeanine Krautheim greets her 16-year-old son Nicky outside her Northeast Philadelphia home as a special handicapped taxi drops him off from school.

Nicky was not breathing when he was born and has serious medical issues. He has scoliosis, cerebral palsy, and Angelman syndrome, a complex genetic disorder affecting the nervous system, which is also marked by seizures.

"Part of his brain is damaged. He will never get movement. He will never roll, sit, crawl, walk,' his mother told FOX 29.

Nicky cannot eat, he cannot chew, he can't talk, but his mom says he'll melt your heart. Jeanine tries to do as much as she can for Nicky. Last summer, she even took him to the beach to surf.

But daily life is a huge struggle. The family does not have a handicapped accessible vehicle so getting Nicky out of the house is very difficult.

Nicky now weighs 77 pounds and Jeanine often carries him to her vehicle. The determined mom has entered a contest as part of National Mobility Awareness Month to win a handicapped accessible van.

"It only takes a moment to change a boys life. I live every day for difficult care for him, so only a moment for them to vote would really make a huge difference," she said.

The contest is sponsored by the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association and dedicated to making a difference for people with disabilities.

And if Jeanine won? "It would mean everything. We could get out more like a family and do things so much easier."

This is a national contest, and Nicky needs votes. To vote for Nicky, please click here.