SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — It was an impossible situation for a single mother in Mira Mesa who simply could not lift her growing quadriplegic daughter into their car any longer.
In Thursday's Zevely Zone, Jeff is in Kearny Mesa with what may be the "feel good" follow-up of 2017.
Watching her daughter get wheeled into their new special needs van for the first time, Care Messer can't help but think about the thousands of times she wrecked her back and her knee lifting Finnley and her heavy wheelchair in and out of their car.
In November, we told News 8 viewers about the chance of a lifetime for this single mother as two anonymous donors teamed up with the Nice Guys of San Diego and said if our viewers could raise $15,000, they'd buy Finnley a van.
More than $20,000 poured in over two days.
Finnley, who was declared brain dead at birth and given three days to live has now survived for 9 years and her odyssey with mother Care has been rewarded with a van of the same name. It is brand new and comes with all the "bells and whistles."
Terry Barton, the general manager of Ability Center, watched the News 8 story, made some phone calls and put this dream together.
A $71,000 van, with one extra surprise – it's paid in full.
Click here if you would still like to make a donation; every additional dollar raised will pay for car insurance, maintenance, and a new stroller for Finnley.
Some of the footage in this video story was shot using a GoPro camera.
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