Standing Wheelchair Company and the Family of Douglas Spooner
Douglas Spooner was the only son of Roger and Connie Spooner. He was a student at SVSU who was known for his humor and well-liked by his friends and fellow students. Doug battled a nervous system disorder known as Friedreich’s Attaxia, that compelled him to use a wheelchair. Below is a short essay Doug wrote:
It seems like just the other day I was running around the baseball diamond for little league. But time passes and things change. They have changed for me more than most of my peers. I now use a wheel chair. I no longer have dreams of playing professional sports. However, I still think of myself as a normal teenager, if there is such a thing.
_My disease keeps me from doing certain things with my friends, but they are reasonable and find ways to include me. I go to movies with them, even though they may whine about loading my chair into their cars. We play games and joke around with each other. They don’t feel sorry for me; they shouldn’t. _
_My family and I now have to plan where we go more carefully. We need to make sure that the places are accessible. We even had to remodel part of our house recently, so that I can learn to be more independent. I’m not sure what I want to study in college, but I am somewhat interested in marketing. It’s not football, but it works for me now. _
My disease is called Friedreich’s Ataxia. It affects the nervous system and gets worse over time. I prefer not to think of it as a disease, just more as a change in my lifestyle. To tell the truth, I usually prefer not to think of it at all. I try to not let it change the things I do and the ways I think. It does limit the things I am able to do, though. I am, for the most part, a normal kid. There is nothing I can do to get rid of my disability, and I don’t plan to let it get me down.
While he was still a student at SVSU, Doug passed away in December 2004. The Standing Wheelchair Company decided to name their annual scholarship in his honor. Doug enjoyed the new opportunities the company’s chair afforded him, including the ability to stand again. Standing Wheelchair Company has specialized in standing wheelchairs since 1990. The company is owned and led by brothers David and Ray Maczik.
The wheelchairs allow their occupants to safely stand with ease, have greater emotional and physical health, strength and independence. To honor Doug’s courage and spirit, this scholarship was established to assist mobility- challenged or other disabled students in achieving their educational goals. The business is located ten miles south of Frankenmuth, MI.
Learn more about the Standing Wheelchair Company, and see their unique products at www.thestandingcompany.com