The Watson Chapel Fire Department teamed up with Lowes Home Improvement and a member of the Watson Chapel Water Department in Pine Bluff to build a porch complete with a wheel chair ramp for Haley Cantrell, who was paralyzed in an automobile accident on October 4.
The porch and ramp came about after Watson Chapel Fire Department members saw that there was no safe way to get Cantrell out of here house when they to a call to help get her to the hospital for an appointment.
Watson Chapel fire fighter Chris Mackey, who is also a full time Pine Bluff fire fighter, spoke with Deltaplex News to share how the porch came about.
“This young lady was in a vehicle accident on October the 4th on Highway 79 near DJ’s One Stop and as a result of the accident she has been paralyzed basically from the waist down,” said Mackey. “We ran on a call out here maybe a week ago and we saw a need. She had no way to get out of her house, and we saw a need for a wheel chair ramp, so we got with Lowes and they donated all of the material and the guys here with the Watson Chapel fire department donated our time to build it.”
Cantrell said she is thankful for the work provided by the Watson Chapel Fire Department.
“I’m now paralyzed from my breast all the way down and it’s been a life changing experience,” said Cantrell. “I thank God for [the volunteers]. They are angels sent to me.”
Until the porch was built Cantrell had been confined inside of her house.
“I have been wanting to come outside since I got home,” said Cantrell. “This means the whole world to me and I can’t begin to say how much I appreciate this.”
Contributors to the project:
Watson Chapel Fire Department
Teddy Spivey – Fire Chief
Steven Tidwell – Assistant Fire Chief
Robert Harris – Assistant Fire Chief
Rick “Doc” Victorino
Chris Mackey
Cody Jacobs
Micah Victorino
Breanna Victorino
Lowes Home Improvement
Billy Tate – Assistant Store Manager
Watson Chapel Water
Brandon Biggs
