LEWISTON — While police in Lewiston investigate the theft of an elderly man's motorized wheelchair, the octogenarian's family are appealing to the public to return their father's sole mode of transportation.
Unable to drive, 80-year-old Dana Huard depends on his motorized wheelchair to get around. His chair was stolen from his Lewiston home early Sunday morning. He's currently a patient at Central Maine Medical Center.
Prime Mobility TSS 300
Dana Huard, 80, of Lewiston reported early Sunday morning that his electric wheelchair was stolen from in front of his apartment building on Lowell Street. Lewiston police Sgt. Michael Whalen said Huard reported the motorized chair stolen at 3:45 a.m.
The case remained under investigation Wednesday as authorities continued looking for the chair. The electric wheelchair is a Pride Mobility TSS300 Power Chair that cost Huard several thousand dollars. Family said he purchased it in the past year.
Huard spent the last two nights at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. Family said he was admitted to the hospital after having to walk there for issues with water retention.
"He's just pretty much doing his best to get around day by day," said Huard's daughter, Wendy Deemer, 46. "So taking his scooter is like taking his legs out from under him."
Deemer, who lives in Sabattus, said her father depended solely on the electric wheelchair for transportation after losing his license due to degenerating eyesight and issues with dementia. She said only she and her brother, Joseph Huard, 43, of Auburn, live locally. Four other siblings live out of state, so helping care for their elderly father often falls on she and her brother, who doesn't own a car.
Joseph Huard said another brother was visiting from Massachusetts on Saturday night and was with his father at the time of the theft. Dana Huard said from his hospital bed Tuesday that he awoke sometime after 2 a.m. and decided to go outside for some fresh air and discovered the theft.
"They stole it right from under my bedroom window," Huard said. "And with all the people around there. I don't know. I can't get nowhere now. I'm sitting here with nothing but a broken walker."
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wheelchair theft
I personally know how this gentleman feels, as I have a power wheelchair myself as well. There is no need of anyone taking someones power wheelchair. Fortunately I can still drive. It more than likely was a drug dealer or just a young punk that wanted a ride home.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Donors have stepped forward to help
Hi all,
We have had several kind folks call to offer to donate a wheelchair for Mr. Huard. He is going to be in the hospital for the next few days but his family is going to go and check out a nice, relatively new, electric wheelchair that is similar to the one he had this Saturday. The family also has the contacts for the other folks who were offering to help. It's awesome you guys thought about and offered to take up a collection for Mr. Huard. At this point it looks like he will be all set.
Scott
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.You should know, Mr Thistle,
You should know, Mr Thistle, is while these people offer to donate, most of these people are big talkers, but when it comes to action....
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.How about YOU putting your
How about YOU putting your money where YOUR mouth is. (Crickets, please)
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It's great to see that there is still a sense of community kicking around out there. I hope they at least find his original scooter in useable condition. Likely some kids took it and beat it around for a bit until they got bored of it.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.It's time
It's time for these low life scum bags to get back under the trash can they came out from under, immediatly after they return the chair. How can anyone be so hard up they have to steal an old mans wheelchair. If they are ever caught fit punishment would be to tie their legs together for a year so they can find out what it's like to be disabled.
And yes if every family in Lewiston were to give a dollar or two Mr. Huard would be mobile again.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.If someone gets it going
If someone gets it going (legitimately), the Pirate's good for $50.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.THIS IS SO SAD. WHY DO THESE
THIS IS SO SAD. WHY DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN. JUST A LOT OF SICK PEOPLE. IF I HAD THE MONEY I WOULD BUY HIM A NEW ONE. I'M DISABLE AND WHEN I'M HAVING A REAL BAD DAY I'M THANKFUL FOR MY CAR. I WONDER IF THERE WAS A WAY TO LOCK THIS THING? I HOPE THEY DO FIND THE ONE WHO STOLE THIS......GIVE IT BACK TO THE POOR MAN.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.If there was ever a cause...
If there was ever a cause for the community to come together to help this poor guy out. I feel that just getting his scooter back, is only part of the solution. He needs to have some sort of enclosure to lock up his chair. Just something big enough to hold the scooter, nothing fancy, and a big pad lock.
It says a lot about our society today when a guys wheel chair gets stolen. People are going to steal anything that's not nailed down. So much for the good old days.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.The good old days ended when
The good old days ended when Sonny & Cher split up.
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