Resource Angels: You are someone’s answered prayer – was a small initiative and evolving idea. Started in Toronto in 2014 by Christiane Schull, it ran informally, on an ad hoc basis, over a few years, with a handful of friends and volunteers. The idea was to help people in direct, tangible, and meaningful ways, providing compassionate caring, assistance or material goods, sometimes second-hand or refurbished.
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In mid-October 2015, on a visit to Los Angeles, CA, Christiane Schull heard about Cheryl Jeannette Felton via a mutual friend. Diagnosed in August 2012 with the fatal neuro-muscular disease ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) and confined to a wheelchair, she could no longer walk or speak. Despite being in the fight of her life, she maintained a spirit of unceasing gratitude and optimism that fueled her and inspired everyone she met. Another friend of Cheryl’s put together a Go-fund-me campaign to raise money to pay for a wheelchair van and medical expenses but much more was needed.
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Christiane wondered if it might be possible to find a refurbished wheelchair van for Cheryl. She made appeals on social media, pestered friends, family, strangers alike. She wrote to charities and non-profits. She reached out to her inner circle and she prayed. Prayer opened the gateway to an astonishing series of miracles.
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A week or so later, she spoke to someone who said: ‘You must speak to Ron Hoffman – he has a Compassionate Care organization in Massachusetts serving people with ALS. Maybe he can help.” Compassionate Care ALS serves the Massachusetts community helping people with ALS and their families navigate the complexities of the disease, providing both material and human resources – the right people & listening, care, comfort, and information – where possible, and for as long as is necessary.
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Would an ALS organization in Massachusetts be open to helping or have the resources to assist someone in Wichita, Kansas? It felt like a long shot… but she emailed Ron Hoffman and within minutes, he responded with a phone call and an unequivocal YES!
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“It just felt like the stars aligned, “ said Ron. He told her that one of their beloved clients had died a few days before and her husband had called saying their 2002 wheelchair van needed repairs but was in good working order and could be passed on to someone else.
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To her astonishment, Ron said: ” It is Cheryl’s if she wants it. We’ll do all the repairs at our end and we will pay for it to be shipped out to her. We’ll sign it over to her for $1.”
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Cheryl was over the moon upon hearing the news. She was grateful to have mobility, fresh air, and contact with the world, and be able to see her doctors out-of-state. The van was delivered to her door by flatbed truck on December 10th, 2015. Sadly, Cheryl Felton passed away a year later.
