Habitat for Humanity helps North Sound family in need

LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — A Lake Stevens family is getting a new wheelchair ramp, which will be a huge help for their young daughter who has a serious genetic disorder. That help is coming from Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County’s home repair service.

RELATED: Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County takes on home repair, saves couple from heartache

Eric Werner’s 5-year-old daughter Fiona was born with Patau’s syndrome, which is also known as trisomy 13.

The rare disorder causes severe developmental delays.

“She’s unable to walk and move herself. And so she started kindergarten this year and it’s been a lot of work to get her out of the house and into her wheelchair,” Eric Werner said.

Eric has to carry Fiona over his shoulder when coming out of his front door and carefully walk painstakingly down the steps and into his garage, where his daughter’s wheelchair is.

It has taken a toll on his body as the Community Transit bus driver has had eight hip surgeries in six years.

As Fiona has grown, he has wanted to build a wheelchair ramp for her for some time. However, being a single-income family with eight children, money has been tight.

But now the family is getting that wheelchair ramp built with the help of volunteers with Habitat for Humanity’s home repair service.

On Saturday, KIRO 7 visited the family and saw the ramp being constructed for the family.

That ramp means the world to Werner because he knows it means Fiona will be able to experience the world.

“She’ll be really happy when she gets to go down the ramp and gets to go outside because she loves going outside and going places. But because it’s so much work to get her out of the house, we tend to not because it’s a lot of work,” said Werner.

The ramp is being made with recycled decking materials from Stanwood United Methodist Church, and the project is part of Habitat for Humanity’s overall mission to keep families in their homes.

“We really are seeking sort of the end vision is to help families make their homes safer, more efficient and longer-lasting,” said Christian Anderson, Habitat for Humanity’s construction manager.

While Eric would do anything for his family, he is grateful he can lean on the village too.

“I almost get a little emotional just thinking about how nice it is of them to do this and how much a game-changer it’s going to be for our family, and it’s just amazing,” Werner said.

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