Disabled man seeking new wheelchair
Life has not been an easy road for Adrian Hurst. However, his faith and hope have never gone dim, and at this stage of his journey, he believes any assistance he receives would do wonders.
Hurst, 48, is no stranger to streets, where he can be seen throughout the Corporate Area using his hands to operate his wheelchair, while soliciting money to help him get a meal.
A resident of Price Lane in Kingston, Hurst was born disabled and has had his fair share of setbacks.
The stumbling block that put him out of a job, however, occurred a few years ago when he stepped on a broken bottle.
He said: “I was working and selling paper. I got a cut from the bottle and mi never take it serious, and it develop into slow poison and then abscess grow on my leg. It slow me up, but I never give up. I just want some help,” Hurst told THE STAR.
He also explained that his mother passed away and he now lives with relatives at her house.
In the midst of all his other issues, Hurst, a former newspaper vendor, said that he has been through a lot — days without food and no money in his pocket.
Nonetheless, he has hopes of improving his life by opening a barber shop, but says he does not have the financial means to do so.
“I want to own a barber shop, get some block and steel and cement and put it at the front a my yard space,” Hurst said, adding that his sister, who is overseas, is trying to help him achieve his dream.
STOP BEGGING
But until then, Hurst said that he just wants assistance to own a battery-powered chair.
“I would like a chair that have space and use battery, not any slow one. You know one that can carry me to Portmore and carry me back to my yard and the battery nuh dead,” he told THE STAR.
Presently, the furthest he is able to traverse on his pedal chair is from his home in downtown Kingston to Papine, St Andrew.
“All I do is roll and rest and make my way. Over 30 years now I have this chair and I need a better one,” he said.
In addition, Hurst said that he wants to stop begging on the streets.
“Nuh bagga money nuh deh deh,
I would like a chair that have space and use battery, not any slow one. You know one that can carry me to Portmore and carry me back to my yard and the battery nuh dead.
and a nuh everyday you get something fi eat. People diss me more time, so mi want to change up the thing and get something going for myself cause it’s not too late. Anything can help, clothes, shoes and food,” he said.