18-Year-Old Needs Money For Wheelchair Accessible Van For College

ORLAND PARK, IL — An 18-year-old Sandburg High School senior has a 4.2 GPA, participates in robotics, marching band and bass fishing. On top of his advanced placement courses, he is a member of Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society and the Music Honor Society. Getting ready to graduate, Carter Schott has one last request before heading to college: a wheelchair accessible van to drive to and from campus.

Both Carter and his sister Madeline have muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although the brother and sister duo both have the condition, Madeline has an accessible van that she is able to drive. Carter is looking to get a wheelchair accessible vehicle complete with hand controls and has started a GoFundMe fundraiser asking for help.

"This will help me be able to reach my goals and will be able to give me more independence, something I always dreamed of having," Carter said. "This would help my future even more by being able to go off to college and drive myself to a job after graduation."

The fundraising goal is to raise $30,000 and as of Tuesday afternoon, it has accumulated $10,504. In the fundraising description, Carter said a package like this can cost upward of $70,000 and that his plan is to fund a vehicle like this in a good, used condition for a lesser amount.

Muscular dystrophy is a rare condition with less than 200,000 cases per year. Lisa Schott, Carter's mother and a music teacher in Orland School District 135, said she and her husband had never heard of the disease before their children were born.

"We didn't know that this even existed, neither family knew of anything hereditary in our past," Lisa said. "When my daughter was 3, she started walking with a wiggle and avoiding picking things up. So I mentioned it to the doctor and he said, 'I don't think it's anything serious.' Well, she's the one who had to go through a bunch of tests to finally determine that she has an atypical form of muscular dystrophy... and we were already [anticipating] Carter."

Lisa said that Madeline has an atypical form of the disease and has more mobility than Carter, who has a typical form. Madeline's vehicle is different from the one Carter needs.

"Madeline pulls her wheelchair into the passenger seat and transfers herself in the driver's seat. Carter is not able to transfer himself... lifting his arms is an issue," Lisa said. "He's unable to transfer himself freely, so he has to pull into the driver's seat and use hand controls. Madeline is fully capable of using regular automobile control. She has a regular steering wheel, regular gear shift and an automatic door and ramp. Carter needs hand controls, which is a whole other system."

Lisa said that her family had initially believed Carter would never be able to drive, but recalled a moment he returned from an appointment at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.

"They tested [Carter's ability to drive] and he goes, 'Mom, I drove a car!' and I said 'Are you kidding, buddy?'" Lisa said. "He said 'Yeah, I can do it with a joystick and there's a mini steering wheel too.' His enthusiasm was out of this world and I told him let's try to get our ducks in the row and when it's time we will move about it."

Lisa said raising enough money to purchase the van for Cater would mean the world to her family.

"When he was a kid, he would ask, 'Mom, when am I going to be able to walk?' and I would just get a lump in my throat and say 'I'm not sure,buddy...God has his plan and we're going to figure this out,'" Lisa said. "It would mean more than anybody could ever imagine, just seeing what they go through on a daily basis and what they've had to endure in their life... Seeing what good kids they are and how well they do in school, it would just absolutely mean the world," Lisa said, while getting emotional.

Carter said he plans to follow the University of Illinois Engineering tract through Moraine Valley, eventually transferring to the U of I campus. Carter's lifelong dream is to become a mechanical engineer to design products for people similar to him that will allow better mobility and "a more fulfilling life." He said getting enough money to get the car he needs would help him follow his dreams.

"It would mean so much to me because independence in my life is so important to me. I have strived ever since I was younger to be more independent and have a life like a normal kid," Carter said. "Everything in my life is just so different from others... so I want to make it as normal as I can."

To donate to Carter's fundraiser, visit the GoFundMe page with his story and more.