As Lawson Sizemore drives up to the school, students, faculty and visitors are overjoyed to see him behind the wheel.
“This was the dream of freedom of being able to come and go whenever I want”, says Lawson. "Without my mom sitting in the parking lot from four in the morning until 9:30 at night."
For a few years, this recent graduate had been in desperate need of transportation, after the family van could no longer accommodate him and his wheelchair. In late 2020, a neighbor surprised the family with a $5,000 donation, and a family friend started a GoFundMe.
Then, Joliet resident Jeff Peterson, who also started a GoFundMe, decided to make Lawson’s dream a reality,
“I just started making phone calls, reaching out to my friends, reaching out to the community, reaching out to the organizations. And not one person told me no," he said.
Along the way Lawson was evaluated and discovered he qualified to get a driver’s license.
“I had this mindset of why not? Like, if I’m able to have the ability to drive, let’s just do it, And that way, it frees me up and gives me freedom and independence and it kind of frees up my mom as well," he said.
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In 16 months, the combined efforts raised more than $100,000, and achieved their collective goal of getting a new van purchased.
Marlene Sizemore, Lawson’s mom, is extremely grateful.
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“People you don’t even know just coming out and supporting, it’s just amazing," she said.
They bought the van last August, and Lawson was finally able to take it home on Monday. A huge crowd gathered at Joliet West High School to congratulate Lawson, and see him drive his new van.
“This is what we do. We are the Joliet West family,” says Joliet West High School Principal Tecara Parker, “We support one another, and if that means fundraising, that’s what we do. If that means purchasing a van and equipment so that he can live an independent life, that’s what we do.”
Jeff Carey, Joliet’s Fire Chief, says their two unions donated $18,000 to the effort.
“Everybody who knows him knows his spirit and how energetic he is involved in everything," he said.
Steve Millsaps, the school’s athletic director, says “He’s touched so many lives here and he never complains. He’s out there cheering, helping the kids here to this day, so we all, this whole community is proud and happy for him.”
"We just want to say thank you and we love you guys, " says Lawson.
