Patricio “Pato” Gilchrist’s life is forever changed after a recent diving accident.
Not only is he going through a long rehabilitation process at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, but his family’s home has to be remodeled to make it more accessible. Luckily, the recent New Trier High School graduate’s story caught the attention of Meg Caswell, a fellow New Trier alum.
“We have a tight community up there,” says Caswell, an interior designer and the Illinois Board President of Welcome Home Angel, a non-profit that offers free home renovations for patients with physical disabilities.
“Everyone knows about his story and his journey, and I quickly connected with his mother Wendy and reached out to see how we could help make a safe home for him to go home to," Caswell said.
After their soft launch a couple of months ago in Chicago, Welcome Home Angel executive director Craig Wagner said they have been off to a busy start.
“We already have 17 applications in various stages of the process. We have four that have been approved by the board, so we know that the need is just going to explode.”
Meanwhile, Pato Gilchrist is focusing on his physical therapy and thinking about his future. He’s an athlete and has already signed up to take adaptive sailing lessons.
Local
“It’s different obviously, but it also opens up a whole new world of possibilities for me. I never thought like it’d be a Paralympian, but that’s the goal now," Gilchrist told NBC Chicago.
To submit an application, click here.
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