A broken van, a struggling family. A community — and a commissioner — step up to help

Jonathan Hunter spends all his time in a wheelchair and is dependent on his family.

But spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy doesn’t keep the 22-year-old from doing what he loves — listening to music, eating ice cream and going to the park, among other things.

Jonathan’s parents, Melody and Ed Hunter of Derby, rely on a wheelchair-accessible van to take their son everywhere. But their 1997 Dodge Caravan breaks down often.

Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Howell, a family friend, decided to fix that. He started a fundraiser to buy the family a more reliable van, and the community rose to the occasion — exceeding the $15,000 goal in just two weeks.

(Read more: Local News |)