Central Bucks Parents Hope To Raise $65K For 8-Year-Old Son's Wheelchair Van

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Bennett Pellegrino, an eight-year-old from Warrington, is "a super social guy [who] loves being around people." But sometimes his ability to go for day trips or visit loved ones is limited by the difficulty of both safely transporting Bennett in the family car and bringing his wheelchair along — a struggle his parents hope to ease with a wheelchair-accessible van.

Bennett was born at 25 weeks and considered a micro-preemie, according to a fundraiser by his parents, Greg and Mary Pellegrino. He has undergone many surgeries in his young life and is now in remission for hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer. He has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, and an intellectual disability, and is legally blind.

"Bennett has been through more in his young seven years than most others have in a lifetime," the Pellegrinos wrote. "Our heart breaks to have watched him struggle and we do our best to give him everything he needs to live a happy and full life."

Bennett's wheelchair helps him get around happy and safely to his favorite places, such as the swimming pool and the zoo. But in order to drive together in the car, his parents need to entirely deconstruct the wheelchair, load it in the trunk, and then reconstruct it and test its safety when they get to their destination.

His parents said the third-grader is also quickly outgrowing his car seat.

"We have looked into purchasing a wheelchair accessible van for him but we are unable to purchase one because they are expensive," his parents wrote in a fundraiser. "With an accessible van, it would make life a lot safer for Bennett. We would be able to take Bennett out and about to his numerous doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions. Bennett would finally be able to join us on day trips and to see his grandparents without having to leave things he may need at home."

But the van that would make all this possible is upwards of $65,000 — and that's why the Pellegrinos turned to their community for help. As of Tuesday morning, their GoFundMe had raised $34,048 from more than 400 donors.

The Doylestown tee-shirt boutique Monkey's Uncle, owned by Derrick and Jeanell Morgan, decided to donate a portion of their sales from Black Friday and Small Business Saturday to the fundraiser.

“The community has supported us and helped us get through this difficult time and now it’s time for us to give that support back," Derrick told the Bucks County Courier Times. "And that’s exactly what we want to do for this family is just give them the little edge and the little bit of help they need to amplify their story and hopefully at the end of the day get exactly what they need for Bennett."

The Pellegrinos were conscious of the fact that times are tough for everyone, and feel overwhelmed by the support.

"Words can't describe how grateful we are," they wrote.

The family is still $30,592 shy of their goal. To check out the fundraiser, click here.

Donations made over the goal will be donated to the Pellegrinos' non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation, BennettStrong, which "honors the battles that micropreemies and pediatric cancer fighters face every day."

Get more important Doylestown news delivered straight to your inbox when you subscribe to Patch.