PHOENIX — A Valley man who lost feeling in his legs and feet has found a new path to independence through specialized hand controls for his vehicle, allowing him to safely return to the road.
Skip Wilkins has hereditary peripheral neuropathy, a condition that left him without sensation in his lower extremities, making traditional driving impossible.
"So I cannot feel then the pressure on the brake and the accelerator," Wilkins said.
For a while, driving wasn't just difficult for Wilkins, it was impossible. The everyday freedom that many take for granted seemed permanently out of reach.
That changed when Wilkins discovered Driving to Independence in Tempe, an organization dedicated to helping people with physical or neurological challenges maintain their mobility.
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"We're assessing to see if people are safe to be driving, and if not helping them to become safe from adaptive techniques or equipment," said Jenny Nordine, founder of Driving to Independence.
With specialized training and a hand-controlled lever system that allows him to brake and accelerate without using his feet, Wilkins has now been back on the road for almost a year.
The journey to regain his driving independence wasn't quick or easy, but the results have been life-changing. Wilkins recently returned to Driving to Independence to thank the team that helped him reclaim his freedom.
Brianna Snyder, an instructor at Driving to Independence, finds deep satisfaction in helping clients like Wilkins.
"A lot of my clients, the last time I see them is them driving off into the sunset. That gives me goosebumps, it makes me happy," Snyder said.
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