ANTONIO IS MOTORING!
WHEN Antonio Iannetta developed multiple sclerosis in 2017, he was provided with a mobility scooter by the HSE so that he could continue to have some level of independence.
However, in June of last year, Antonio’s scooter stopped working, with wear and tear being the cause. And, unfortunately, the HSE was unable to provide funding for a new one.
With the scooters costing in excess of €3,000, and Antonio living at home with his elderly mother who also suffers from ill-health, the likelihood of acquiring a new scooter seemed remote.
But now, thanks to the generosity of his next-door neighbour and people all over the world, Antonio is finally mobile again, with a brand-new scooter providing him with new-found freedom.
‘My next door neighbour, Kevin, had seen how much I’d been struggling,’ said Antonio. ‘I was using a walker to get around, but it would take me an hour to get to the shop when it should have only been a few minutes. So he set up a GoFundMe to help pay for a new scooter.’
That GoFundMe raised more than €2,000, with contributions coming from Italy, Poland and Germany, enabling Antonio to finally purchase his scooter last week.
‘I’m almost scared to get back on it. I took it for a spin but I’m a bit nervous on it,’ Antonio said, as he thanked all those who donated, in particular the members of Enniscorthy VTOS.
Although he is now looking forward to being mobile again Antonio said life was difficult without a scooter, especially during the lockdown.
‘It was hard not having one; I was mostly on the walker. I was depending on family and friends for everything.
‘Then with the lockdown things were even worse. At one point, I spent 12 days in bed because of an infection in my legs. But things will be much better now.’