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Marine Veteran receives an Action Trackchair from OP1VET

Goshen News - 4/6/2022

Apr. 6—ELKHART — Former City of Elkhart Police Officer Joe Reed was given the chance Tuesday to experience a new life he never thought possible again after a generous donation from OP1VET of an Action Trackchair.

"It's been always one of those dreams because they're an expensive item," he said. "When they offered it to me, I was hesitant because, like, 'Is this real?' Now I have the chair but I'm still in shock. I still can't believe this happened."

OP1VET President and Founder Ed Christner explained that the goal of the organization is to change the lives of veterans nationwide, and they felt it was high time they support a local veteran.

"We think Joe's a heck of a recipient and welcome him to our family," said Christner.

Reed completed boot camp on his 18th birthday and married his wife Teri shortly after. A lifeguard and metal body repairman for the Marine Corps at Onslow Beach, Camp Lejeune, N.C, he was discharged in 1977 and joined the Elkhart Police Department in 1980.

Then in 1989, a motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the armpit level down.

"When I was first hurt I had no finger movement at all," he said. "It took weeks before I could actually move my finger, and then my thumb, and I eventually pulled a tissue out of a box. That was a milestone for me. That gradual progress, it's not like TV. [The doctors] kept reminding me that 'everyone is unique; we can't answer all questions because you're special and your paralysis is different from the person next to you. [...] We can't promise you anything.'"

Unable to return to his line of duty, Reed never gave up, returning three years later to instead serve the City of Elkhart as a civilian switchboard operator with the police department for 17 years and later with the public works department.

A quadriplegic for 32 years, Reed is ever-grateful for what he does have.

"I'm very fortunate to have a power chair, to begin with, because allows me to be more independent," he acknowledged. "If my wife pushes me in a manual chair, that's taxing on her and as we get older, it's harder. That's a lot to ask of someone all the time. This [chair] does give me a lot of independence."

He said he's been blessed to keep his sense of humor and tries to remain spontaneous.

"I want my wife to not always know what's coming next," he said. "I want to make life still fun as much as I can. I try to be a people person — I'm out in the public; I don't hibernate. I try to serve my community and I feel like, given the chair, I'm doing pretty good. Really good, actually."

Still, there are many days he misses the mobility he once had.

"Your mindset is always pre-injury," he said.

Reed chooses to stay active regardless of his mobility level. He is a volunteer for the Elkhart Area Marines, Detachment 1397 of the Marine Corps League, a member of his neighborhood's watch, and enjoys spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren going on adventures and exploring the great outdoors — a difficult feat for someone without the use of their legs.

In his daily electric chair, Reed could fish from a pontoon boat, which he used to own, or level terrain, but any sort of incline or rough terrain would stop him in his tracks.

"Going through a snowdrift, or sand or mud, I have to be really careful," he said.

Control of the new all-terrain power chair is roughly the same as the operation of his daily electric wheelchair, but the Action Trackchair is wide-based with rubberized tracks on each side and a headlight for night or dusk activities. With a base price of $9,000, the chair is touted as the first-of-its-kind, specially designed as an offroad wheelchair.

"I'm excited because things that I always thought about from afar, now I can actually try," Reed said.

Family vacations, such as trips to lake Michigan, for example, could become much more enjoyable for Reed with the new Action Trackchair.

"In the past, I'd sit in the parking lot or near the sidewalk area and watch the family advance toward the water's edge and play and make sandcastles," he said. "Well, now I can transverse right across the sand, or up some modern hills and trek through all that and be a part of it."

He's especially excited about the idea of hunting and mushroom hunting again. With grandkids living in his neighborhood, Reed is excited about just the possibility of finally being able to take them to the pond to catch fish. The Action Trackchair has additional options such as a fishing rod or gun holder, an ice cooler platform, and a snow blade for purchase, too.

"The possibilities are still unknown to me as to what it can really do, but the potential is amazing," he said. "It means so much to me to be able to try something new after all this time, and the joy it brings not only me, but my family, to be able to take part together is a big deal."

Reed was officially gifted the chair alongside San Antonio veteran Chad Kuesser at OP1VET's Spring Give-Away 2022 on March 26, but finishing touches were added last week.

"Right now this is kind of our focus is getting these guys outdoors and breathing fresh air," Christner said.

OP1VET's storefront in Goshen serves to help raise funds for the work they do for local and national veterans. Fifty percent of proceeds go to supporting veterans. Recently, the organization was able to offer plaques to every funeral home in Elkhart County for deceased veterans.

The organization is always looking to change the lives of veterans. Anyone interested in nominating a veteran in need can submit information at https://op1vet.com/nominate-a-veteran/.

Joseph Weiser is a photojournalist for The Goshen News. Contact him at joseph.weiser@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2349 or (cell) 574-202-8479.

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