A new gift means Gabby Kranock is on the road to freedom a month after being released from hospital.
Buffalo, N.Y. — “I really have nothing to say,” Dennis Kranock of Porterville said Wednesday morning.
For the past four months, he and his wife, Lisa, have watched their 18-year-old daughter, Gabi, go through an unimaginably difficult time. In September, she was standing outside with friends when she was run over by an allegedly drunk driver.
“Gabi was paralyzed. Her friend died at the scene and another person was seriously injured,” Dennis said.
Gabby has lost a lot, but not her smile, nor her work ethic. She even earned a high honor roll this fall.
“She’s been in good spirits,” Dennis said. “Heard the head up all the time. She gets down too, but who wouldn’t?”
Gabby came home from the hospital last month, and now, she too can go elsewhere. West Herr and Hope Rises presented her parents with a wheelchair-accessible van at their Chevrolet dealership in Orchard Park on Wednesday.
“She was ecstatic about it,” Dennis said. “She can’t wait for us to drive the van home so she can go out and enjoy and watch things.”
This is a gift from the community to Gabby. West Herr partners with Hope Rises to match donations to cover costs. The $20,000 came from an anonymous donor.
“We can all be proud that we helped this family a little bit, and we want Gabby to feel comfortable,” said Matt Lasher, West Herr marketing director.
Hope Rises founder Kate Glaser added: “Mobility is such a valuable gift and as a result of this tragic accident she was deprived of the ability to walk. So when we heard her story, we knew we had to be involved”
Main Mobility modified the van to meet Gabby’s needs.
“It means a lot, going out, eating, meeting friends, going to the park,” said sales manager Chris Carden. “It helps people heal. It really makes a big difference.”
Before her accident, Gabby was a basketball star at Cuban-Rashford High School. She’s already planning her first trip in the new van.
“Next Tuesday or Wednesday, she has a basketball game at a school she wants to go to,” Dennis said. “It’s their senior night, so she wants to be able to attend, so it will help her get there.”
If you want to help Gabby’s family, you can donate through GoFundMe.
