“Mobility is truly one of the wonders of life that so many of us take it for granted. This is a story about how an astonishing 580 people got their freedom back, thanks to a Connecticut businessman’s passion and determination.”

“It all started in Philip Pavone’s pawn shop in 2009, when he stumbled upon an opportunity to make a difference. There were some motorized wheelchairs hanging around the shop that still hadn’t sold and, in an attempt to clear space for new inventory, he placed an ad in his local paper, offering them for free.”

“Within two weeks, he received more than sixty letters in response to the ad.”

“It was then that Mr. Pavone began to realize the scale of the problem. Many of those who wrote confided that their insurance would not cover the cost of a motorized wheelchair — $4,000-$40,000 — and they could not afford the cost.”

“‘At that moment, I realized how many people out there were suffering. It was unbelievable,’ said Mr. Pavone. ‘Some of the people writing to me hadn’t left their homes for months, even years at a time. Many were elderly and had no one to help them.’”

Read more at Good News Network.