Yahoo Lifestyle Wheelchair user adapts campervan to find 'freedom'
A man who became tetraplegic after an accident said adapted campervans like his could give wheelchair users more freedom.
Sam Crawford from Diss, Norfolk suffered a spinal cord injury after jumping into a river in June 2017.
The 27-year-old joiner created an adapted van, which he nicknamed Paddy, after finding there was a lack of rental vehicles he could use.
"When you have an injury, it takes away a lot of freedom and spontaneity. That's something the van can give back," he said.
Tetraplegia, otherwise known as quadriplegia, is a partial or complete loss of sensory and motor function in all four limbs.
Mr Crawford "fell in love with camping" as a teenager and first bought a transit van with the intention of converting it in April 2017.
Two months after purchasing the van, his accident left him reliant on a wheelchair.
"It put my dream on hold, and after a tough couple of years I wanted to continue it," he said.
"I didn't want the injury to get in the way of the dream I had."
The van has a built-in lift for wheelchairs, a hoist system and sufficient space for turning around.
It is also fitted with a bed that can be adjusted for either transferring out of a chair or for use with a hoist.
Mr Crawford said building the van had been an enjoyable but challenging experience.
"There was a lot to figure out, a big learning curve, but you have to enjoy the process.
"That's a mindset that I had to take on throughout my injury."
Despite a "challenging" recovery, Mr Crawford credits his dream with helping him to stay on track.
"The injury has been very difficult but having Paddy has given me a bit of a guiding point to stay motivated," he said.
"We need a purpose in life. I think Paddy is my purpose."
"It's given me a sense of achievement. I must admit, I'm very proud of what I've managed to achieve."
Mr Crawford hopes the van will be able to open up more opportunities to people unable to use a standard campervan.
"There isn't anything like this," he said.
"I want to share it. I want everyone to get that freedom."
Emma Vogelmann from charity Transport for All hoped other people would be inspired.
"We all want a chance to kick back and enjoy life with the people we care about, but our team knows from personal experience that finding accessible holidays can be challenging," she said.
"Projects like this, built with the expertise and experience of disabled people, show what is possible with a bit of thought and imagination."
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