Community joins to buy new chair for Ted Nagel

For Ted Nagel, the outpouring of support from the community over the last year has been next to overwhelming.

"I always knew this community had a lot of heart," Nagel said. "But I was blown away, simply amazed, at the response."

Nagel, his family, his church and his friends, had been trying to raise money for a new electric wheelchair for about half a year. Nagel was born a quadriplegic and had been traveling around town in an increasingly rickety 13-year-old chair.

In mid-October he received his new chair, worth an estimated $42,000, but indispensable as far as Nagel's way of life went.

"My pastor, Gene Holman (Living Word Fellowship), thought when we first started all this that it would take a year or so before we could think about ordering a chair," Nagel said. "The community was so generous, we ended up being able to order much, much sooner.

"I wanted to thank God for orchestrating the whole thing. It has been a blessing watching the whole thing play out. I also am just so thankful to everyone in the community who pitched in and helped with fundraising. It's such a blessing to be in a community that cares so much for everyone."

Indeed, when the San Antonio, Texas company set to manufacture the chair heard about Carson Valley's generosity, it cut the $42,000 price tag on the chair to $27,000.

"Every chair they make is custom fit to the individual," Nagel said. "I flew down there in September and they set me up with fittings designed especially for me."

Among the features of Nagel's new chair are large tractor-style front tires to allow for more terrain he can cover, with smaller tires in the back.

"The small tires on the new chair are bigger than the big tires on the old chair," Nagel said. "It makes it much more stable for me and I can go many more places."

One of Nagel's favorite new features is a facet called transmission steering.

"It's really great," he said. "Basically, in the old chair it would speed one motor up and slow the other down in order to turn. It was always wanting to go downhill. If I was on a tilt, I would have to constantly correct it.

"Now, when I tell the chair to go somewhere, it goes on that exact line and adjusts automatically to uneven ground."

The chair is also beefier in its support system, more comfortable and even has a faster motor.

"It's amazing," Nagel said. "I can get around so much quicker now. I can't believe how much time I save."

To top it off, the chair is painted Bronco blue and has a large Denver Broncos decal on the back. Nagel has been a longtime fan of the professional football team.

Nagel runs his own print shop out of his home and has been involved with the praise and worship ministry at Living Word Fellowship.

n Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.