Specialized van of Jackson man with cerebral palsy wrecked, but you can help replace it
JACKSON -- The photos in Andrew McGeady's home tell the story of a life lived to the fullest. There are pictures of him being greeted by three New Jersey governors, pictures of him serving as an usher with the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, pictures of him with his pastor at Hope Lutheran Church in Freehold Township.
The 39-year-old Jackson resident is incredibly active for anyone — and especially for someone with a severe cerebral palsy.
But what's missing at his home also tells a story — an unfortunate one.
The driveway is empty.
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On Dec. 30, 2024, an aide who was driving Andrew home from the gym at CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold Township, where he does therapeutic workouts in a swimming pool, got into an accident with another driver. Andrew's specialized Dodge Grand Caravan was declared totaled. Since that day he's been stuck at home, forced to cancel medical appointments, skip therapy sessions and miss church.
'It's been a challenge, a lot of ups and downs,' Andrew said, adding that he's had 'a couple of meltdowns, as you could imagine, from being cooped up in the house without being able to have the independence to go out and be part of the community and maintain my health.'
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The situation hits home extra hard because Andrew devotes much of his time to advocating for others with disabilities. Since 2009 he's served as a governor's appointee on the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, helping guide policy on quality-of-life issues.
More recently he joined Rutgers University's Project ECHO, which seeks to inform doctors, nurses and social workers on how to best support people with disabilities in medical settings.
He's always been a can-do guy, and being isolated at home is an unwelcome reminder of just how much he can't do without the proper transportation.
'The disability community on the whole is at a disadvantage because vans and transportation, these things are much more expensive with all the modifications and necessary things,' he said. 'The price is just astronomical.'
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Andrew and his mom, Zinke McGeady, purchased their van in 2013 for $65,000. It has a ramp, plus space inside and a special lock for Andrew's motorized wheelchair. The van had 90,000 miles on it at the time of the crash; the McGeadys figured they would get four or five more years out of it, at least.
Now they have to purchase a new one, and current models cost at least $85,000. Their car insurance company is compensating them at a fraction of that, based on the depreciated estimated value of their old van.
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Zinke is a 69-year-old retiree and single mom living on a fixed income. Andrew has worked through the years — he spent 16 years in customer service at The Home Depot in Howell — but they don't have the means to cover the gap right now. So they've launched an online fundraiser with a goal of $50,000.
In the meantime, they are looking into renting a van so Andrew can get to an ECHO conference at Rutgers in mid-March. The cost is $190 per day and, given the challenges of getting Andrew around, probably requires a two-day rental. A specialized transportation service run by Ocean County, Ocean Ride, does not cross county lines.
'All of Andrew's medical providers are in Monmouth, Middlesex and Somerset (counties),' Zinke McGeady said. The family lives near the Howell border.
'Any of the rest of us, if our car breaks down we can rent something or buy a little Ford Focus,' Zinke said. 'And that's not the case with any person with a disability (like Andrew's), and I don't think the general public understands how restrictive that is.'
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The hope is that the McGeadys can get a new van before the summer, when Andrew is the most active. He's a docent with the Historical Society of Ocean Grove, and the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association's 2025 season hits full stride in early June.
'Andrew is there faithfully every Sunday, and he does a great job,' said Jeffrey Newenhouse, who is president of the Ocean Grove Auditorium Ushers Association.
Andrew has served as an usher in the Great Auditorium for 15 years, and he volunteers to work other events in Ocean Grove as well, like youth activities.
'If you ask Andrew to do anything, he says yes right away,' Newenhouse said. 'He loves to be around people, and everybody knows Andrew by name — they look for him.
'People are just amazed at his resilience.'
That resilience is being tested now, but with help from supporters — a much-deserved reward for Andrew's good works — the driveway won't be empty much longer.
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To contribute to the online fundraising drive for Andrew's new accessible van, visit https://www.helphopelive.org/campaign/25155.
Checks also can be made out to 'Help Hope Live' and mailed to Help Hope Live, 2 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 100, Radnor, PA 19087 (write 'In honor of Andrew T. McGeady' in the memo line).
Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shore's interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jackson man with cerebral palsy needs new specialized van after crash
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