Eleven-year-old Jeremiah is new to Falcon. When he moved to his foster home more than a month ago, he became friends with Christian Galicia, who eagerly introducted him to a couple of his buddies.Jeremiah joined in all the neighborhood activities. Althought Jeremiah gets around in a wheelchair, it didn’t stop him from participating in the spur-of-the-moment football or basketball games.One day, as he was headed to one of his friend’s house, Cory Galicia. Christian’s da, observed Jeremiah as he tried to tackle the road in his wheelchair.”He was tired, and his friends ran down to give him a push,” Galicia said. “The wheelchair he uses regularly does not have handles on the back to help him … and I said to myself, ‘I think this boy would love to have an electric chair.’Galicia has a friend wholost his father a few years ago. His friend had been trying to sell his father’s electric wheelchair. Galicia asked Jeremiah’s foster parents, Rhonda and Darin Waters, if they thought Jeremiah would benefit from an electric wheelchair. “They said Jeremiah had outgrown his prosthetic legs and now has a hard time with his chair.He rallied his fellow firefighters at the falcon Fire Protection District, and they agreed to use part of the annual pancake breakfast funds to purchase the electric wheelchair.Jeremiah had a “little, miniature wheelchair for a little girl,” said Rhonda Waters, his foster mom. “When he played football or basketball, he had lots of sand and dirt he had to get through. Now he can take off down the road.”He’s excited to have this, and it helps with the school bus, too.”The firefighters were wonderful, and we really want to say thank you to them.”
