Norristown's Joe Cintron Needs Your Help
Joe Cintron has spent the last 30 years as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair and he's now trying to raise money for a much-needed wheelchair van.
Photos
Joe Cintron has a lot of friends willing to help him, but he needs a little extra right now. Cintron is reaching out through cyberspace on indiegogo.com, an online funding platform that lets users raise money for any campaign or personal project, to help him find funds to purchase a wheelchair van he direly needs.
According to Cintron's campaign page, the Norristown man has been in a wheelchair for the last 30 years. As a teenager, the Norristown Area High School student dreamed of college and a career in the NFL, but a tragic accident at a party in 1981 left him a C4-C5 quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down.
Since then, Cintron has lived with and been cared for by his mother, now 66 years old.
"She has literally made me her life," Cintron says on his page. "She washes me, feeds me, and exercises me. You name it, my (single parent) mother does it."
According to Cintron, as the years have passed, it's become increasingly dificult for his mother to lift him. That makes it hard for them to travel anywhere as they currently have a car that requires him to be lifted out his chair and carried (usually with the help of another family member or friend) into the vehicle.
That's where the indiegogo.com campaign comes in. Cintron is hoping that a Good Samaritan, or several, will donate money to help he and his mother purchase a wheelchair van with a lift. His goal is to raise $30,000 and he's already raised $1,650 from 23 donors with still 107 days to go in the campaign.
In a comment posted on the site, a donor identified only as Maria had this to say about Cintron:
"If anyone deserves help it’s Joe Cintron and his mom. They have become an inspiration to us all. There’s not a day that goes by that Joe isn’t smiling and thanking God for all of his blessings. During his journey where most of us would have given up, is where Joe draws his greatest strength. Joe has led an exemplary life maintaining an unwavering trust in our Lord. His natural capacity to love far exceeds the dimensions of his physical boundaries..."
If you'd like to help Cintron and his mother realize their goal, you can donate through his campaign site here or you can contribute a check at any Wells Fargo Bank to "Juanita Cintron/Van For Joey Cintron."
"If there are folks out there who have it in their power to help my mother and me," Citron says on the site, "we both would really appreciate it."
Learn more about Joe Cintron and his fundraising campaign on his Facebook Fund page his personal Facebook page or his Twitter feed.
Kathy Opperman
9:59 am on Saturday, July 7, 2012
Thanks so much for posting this story. I had gotten a message about this on Facebook and thought it could be a scam. I tried google to see if I could find out if it were for real, with no luck. I now will be able to share the story and help raise funds from friends around the US for Joe and his Mom! God bless! Let's watch what social media can do!
James Myers
10:58 am on Saturday, July 7, 2012
Kathy, Joe's story was passed on to me by one of my readers – a longtime and very trusted Norristown resident and activist. She grew up with Joe and if the info hadn't come directly from such a prime source, I might have been slightly suspicious too. Glad I could confirm it for you. :)
James Myers
6:45 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012
Just got this email from Joe Cintron and I'm was so impressed with his positivity I just had to share it:
"I want to thank you so much for posting my story! I really hope that more generous people like yourself will take an interest & help. There are so many people out here like me, so once i reach my goal of getting a wheelchair van I plan on doing everything i can in order to help someone else in my position." – Joe Cintron
Becky
3:53 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Happy to see this published on "The Patch" I am sure it will help! GO JOE!!!
James Myers
11:00 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Update for those contributing checks to Joe's cause at Wells Fargo Bank – the account is under "Juanita Cintron/Van For Joey Cintron."
Loylyn
4:59 am on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Please send your inspiring story to "Make a Wish Foundation". They have answered the call for many life changing situations. A second fundraiser could come together as a "Back In The Day Reunion Party" to raise needed money. Reach out to old friends, bands etc . I will help in any way I can.
scappy jones
12:31 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
he was a drug addict that jump out of a window during a drug raid, raily why should anyone help him and why is this not part of the story
Maria McCouch
4:56 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
"Scappy Jones" - Let's just take a moment to reflect upon your oh-so-sage and caring comments. FIRST - Joe was NOT a drug addict. He was at a party where there was beer. He was underage. The cops came. He made a bad decision and has paid for it by losing the use of his body below the neck for the last 30 years. SECOND - WHY would anyone help? Because God teaches us to care for one another as He has cared for us. Why wouldn't we help? THIRD - It doesn't matter HOW Joe became paralyzed, the fact is, he is. What difference does it make? Will rehashing an old, painful story help him and his mother? FOURTH - Why don't you learn proper grammar and diction before you decide to post something so vile and hateful in a public forum? At least if you had a command of the English language I could respect you for something.
Becky
5:13 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Well Said Maria Mc!
Joe Cintron
9:51 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Maria thank you dear. Not once have i ever been addicted to drugs or even brought drugs before!!! Scappy jones, get a life! Learn your facts!
Maria Falco-Smith
3:42 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
You tell em' Joey!!! My thinking was,... how would he even know, unless of course he was the one selling the drugs~
How does someone let the words pass through their lips, a story like this,....about someone they don't even know~
I'm going to leave this one to Jesus, cause scrappy isn't worth me losing my religion! Just sayin'