BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FRANKLIN -- The smile on Karen Eustler's face was worth a thousand words.
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Karen Eustler, 16, who suffers from cerebral palsy, receives her specially designed wheelchair Tuesday from two Middletown organizations.
(Michael Snyder photo)
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She giggled almost uncontrollably as a member of the Middletown High School Varsity Cross Country team whisked her down Naldo Lane in her new-fangled running chair.
Karen, who was born with cerebral palsy, was realizing a longtime dream Tuesday as she sat surrounded by a dozen or more friends, family, classmates, teachers and community leaders.
She was running.
And even though someone else was at the helm, the feeling was no less exhilarating for the 16-year-old Middletown High sophomore. "This is great," she said after taking a spin.
"This is kind of like a prayer come true for us," said Barb Eustler, Karen's mother. "Karen loves to run." Karen, who first took up wheelchair running after participating in an event at Middfest last fall, needed a new, specially designed wheelchair to continue running because using a regular wheelchair, which can overturn, was too dangerous.
After hearing about Karen's problem from a family friend, members of the Middletown Elks Lodge 257 and Middletown Firemen's Union Local 336 began raising money for a state-of-the-art special needs stroller. The two groups presented it to Karen and her family at their Naldo Lane residence Tuesday afternoon.
"I don't know if you can put into words exactly how I'm feeling right now," said John Eustler, Karen's father. "She's been so excited and nervous about this . . . the look on her face was the biggest thing for me."
The Elks Lodge and Middletown Firemen's Union raised about $600 in less than two months to buy the chair.
"It is just so exciting to be a part of something like this," said Francis Carlson, a member of the Elks lodge. "Cerebral palsy is our Ohio charity, and usually we just give our donations to the state fund. But it is much more wonderful to have a local person benefit from our help."
The specially designed chair, adorned in the school colors of purple and white, was made to fit Karen's precise measurements, Ms. Carlson said. Equipped with a sun visor, rain canopy, water bottle, three all-terrain puncture-proof wheels, and lightweight frame, the wheelchair should adjust perfectly to the plans Karen has in store for it.
"She's going to be working out with the high school cross-country team in a few weeks," said Pam Smith, special education principal at Middletown High School. Karen said she looks forward to working out with the cross-country team and plans to have a lot of fun free-wheeling in her new wheelchair.
"I think this is going to enable Karen to be more inclusive at school, and I think this will open up a lot more friendships for her especially with the cross-country team," Mrs. Eustler said. "There are a lot of kind people out there that made this possible and we really owe them all the thanks."
"This is kind of like a prayer come true for us'
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