'They were laughing'

COEUR d’ALENE — When Devyn Burdett drives her Nissan Murano somewhere, it’s not just a matter of hopping out when she gets there, closing the door and walking away.

Because her legs are paralyzed, she must lower herself to the ground, use her arms to scoot to the back of the SUV, open the hatch and pull out her wheelchair.

She’s gotten pretty good at it and is used to the usual reactions from people: Some help and some don't.

What happened last Friday in the parking lot at a Hayden store was something new for Ms. Wheelchair Idaho — something she would rather forget.

As Burdett dropped out of her SUV in the rain and made her way on the ground to retrieve her wheelchair, she heard voices and looked around.

She saw about six younger people watching, some of them laughing and two of them taking pictures with their phones.

“Instead of helping me, they were laughing,” Burdett said.

She told them if they wanted pictures, she could pose for them, and they responded with an expletive.

Burdett said the incident lasted just a minute or so before the group walked away, and she continued with her grocery shopping.

But she felt the sting of that laughter.

“It was humiliating,” she said.

Friends are rallying to make sure it doesn't happen again. They have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $31,000 to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for Burdett.

“She is an amazing human being and is always trying to find ways in our community to make it easier for people with disabilities to access the everyday conveniences that we take for granted,” wrote Brooke Miller, who started the fundraiser.

After hearing of what happened, Miller asked Burdett to show her a video of what it takes to get in and out of her car.  She posted the videos on GoFundMe.

After "seeing the harsh reality of what she has to go through to go anywhere, I, along with our friend Debby, got a little emotional, wiped our tears and decided to take action. We decided that we could not let our friend, MS. WHEELCHAIR IDAHO, endure this anymore. She needs an adapted vehicle and needed it yesterday!”

The campaign is quickly gaining support.

Eric and Alicia Zaas, owners of Escape Adventures, donated $500.

“I donated because no one should have to live like this when there are so many good people that live here in North Idaho that can make a difference in someone else’s life. Donate and be that difference North Idaho,” Alicia wrote.

Burdett led an active life before losing the use of her legs about two years ago to what is believed to be transverse myelitism, which is described as the “inflammation of the spinal cord due to a misdirected immune response, resulting in varying degrees of weakness.”

She earned the title of Ms. Wheelchair Idaho earlier this year. She is determined, energetic, positive and hopes to connect with businesses for adaptive tools for those with disabilities, and wants to start a local adaptive sports program.

She also competed in Ms. Wheelchair America in August.

She has since received the Ms. Wheelchair America Achievement Award in recognition of “outstanding achievement and advocacy for people with disabilities," and the Cinda Hughes Community Impact Award, as chosen by judges with Ms. Wheelchair America.

Independence is important to Burdett.

She said her husband and children usually help when she goes somewhere, but she likes to do things on her own.

She drives by pushing and pulling her right leg from gas pedal to brake pedal with her right hand, and steering with her left.

“I wasn’t giving up driving,” she said.

The incident last Friday night wasn’t easy to let go, and when Burdett returned to her car, even being the fiery redhead she is, she cried.

“Normally, I can brush it off,” she said. “That one did get to me.”

Burdett wasn’t entirely on board when friends wanted to start the fundraiser for a van, and still has mixed feelings about it. She doesn’t like to ask for help.

“At first I didn’t want them to do it,” she said.

While she appreciates the support, she worries it might mean someone else goes without.

“I think the money could go somewhere to help other families that need it,” she said.

Still, she said a wheelchair-accessible van “would change my life.”

She would no longer have to scoot along the ground, in all kinds of weather, and would have room for the kids and her service dog, Ali, a 135-pound, 3-foot-tall Great Dane.

“It would definitely change my life,” she said.

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