Most people in wheelchairs have to accept the reality that they cannot drive by themselves without spending thousands of dollars trying to customize a vehicle made for working limbs.
But Stacey Zoern was not one of those people.
Wheelchair-bound since birth, Zoern’s last encounter with a steering wheel was in her college days, when she totaled an $80,000 custom-made vehicle.
But the Austin, TX resident woke up one day and decided she wanted to drive again. So in 2010, Zoern found a Budapest-based automaker who advertised a small electric vehicle that offered the ultimate solution for wheelchair-accessibility.
Zoern had found the car of her dreams.
This Kenguru vehicle was remarkable — it allowed wheelchair users to drive without the hassle of having to prop themselves out of the wheelchair to fold it. Zoern called the manufacturer in Hungary to make an order, only to discover that production had stopped due to lack of funds — and was told to call back after four years.
With an unshakeable determination that only a lifetime of living with a disability had taught her, Zoern took matters into her own hands.
Check out the video below for the phenomenal story of this one woman and her itty-bitty car:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry89HBh70C0?t=15s
What’s even more incredible is that Zoern can’t even drive the current model as of yet — so far, they have not yet designed a prototype that can accommodate power wheelchair users like Zoern.
We’re hoping that as more people hear about this incredible little car, Zoern’s project will be able to achieve the success it deserves.