Paula Gillette-West, a woman who overcame cancer and endured the amputation of her leg, had her custom wheelchair stolen from her driveway this past February, confirmed ABC15. Today, she is receiving a new one thanks to the charitable act of an ABC15 viewer, this being an offer that came after the station covered the story of the theft. The benevolent viewer, Josh Turner, alongside his law firm, pledged to mitigate the loss by financing a replacement.
Paula's reliance on her wheelchair, described as central to her self-sufficiency, is well-understood by her community. For four and a half years, she had the routine of leaving it in her driveway to facilitate her transitions between her vehicular and pedestrian movements, according to KEYT. "It's such a great neighborhood, everyone knows it's her chair," her daughter Brittany West remarked, reflecting on her mother's established trust in leaving the wheelchair outside. This was shattered when surveillance footage from a neighbor captured two individuals and a red pick-up truck in the act of absconding with the $9,000 personal mobility device.
Paula's plight, beyond the immediate indignity of the theft, was compounded by the discomfort and impracticality of her back-up chair, which she reported as heavy and uncomfortable. "That was my chair, it was built for me, it gives me my independence back," she reiterated.
Reflecting on the callousness of the theft, Paula Gillette-West was understandably stunned. "I just can’t imagine someone going up to someone’s house and taking a wheelchair. They can tell it’s brand new," she told KEYT. The thieves' identities are unknown, and the Gilbert police are continuing their investigation into the incident. Any individuals with information have been encouraged to reach out to the non-emergency line to assist in the resolution of this impacting crime.
