The Brief
- Cecilia Reed, a 58-year-old single mother on Chicago’s South Side, says caring for her 32-year-old son with cerebral palsy and scoliosis has become dangerous because their wheelchair lift frequently fails, forcing her to physically carry him up and down stairs.
- Although Illinois approved $13,815 in December 2025 for a new exterior lift, the installation has stalled because MobilityWorks has not filed the required permit application with the City of Chicago, putting the funding at risk of expiring by June 30.
- Reed says the situation has left her exhausted and frustrated, as she continues pleading for help to provide her son with safe and reliable access outside their home.
CHICAGO – “This is dangerous… very dangerous.”
Tears filled Cecilia Reed’s eyes as she described the daily struggle of caring for her son inside their Washington Heights home on South May Street on Chicago’s South Side.
“That’s my son. That’s my heartbeat,” Reed said. “I’ll die for him. And I shouldn’t have to beg and plead to get help.”…