Enfield Firefighters Rally to Support Paralyzed Man's Effort to Buy New Van

The Enfield Fire Department is organizing a charity car wash to help raise funds for a new van for a local man who’s a quadriplegic as a result of a car crash more than a decade ago.

The department is asking for community support to help Matt Hayward, 33, who’s set up a GoFundMe page to help raise the $15,000 needed to purchase a replacement for the specially-equipped 1993 van that’s used to drive him to doctor appointments in Hartford. So far, Matt’s been able to raise about $3,030.

The car wash is planned for Saturday, July 18. Firefighters plan to start the car wash around 11 a.m. until about 2 p.m. at the Enfield Fire Department Station 2 on Weymouth Road.

Here is what Matt wrote about his fund-raising efforts:

“I am a 33-year-old quadriplegic that was involved in a motor vehicle accident as a passenger in the summer of 2004. Long story short, it left me paralyzed as from the mid chest down. I currently have a 93’ Dodge B250 conversion van that is set up with a wheelchair lift and tiedowns to secure my chair for me to go out.

“Needless to say, from the wear and tear and added extra weight between the lift and my wheelchair, the van is starting to struggle on its “last leg”. It has gotten to the point where that now I am very weary and nervous about breaking down on the side of the highway, to drive the van into and around Hartford (20 miles) to get to and from most of my Dr. appointments that are in that area.”

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As the Enfield firefighters said in their Facebook post, “Let’s try and get him to his goal.”

And here’s the link to the GoFundMe page vanforMattHayward.

Photo: Matt Hayward via GoFundMe.