Finding Love and Independence: The Power of Assistive Technology

Sara and John Beard's love story began with a chance meeting at a festival, a wheelchair from the Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP), and a little bit of fate.

In 2011, John had to get a double amputation surgery. Though he recieved an electric wheelchair, it quickly stopped working properly. He said, “I got home and it started having a lot of problems. They couldn't get anyone to fix it.”  

His insurance only allotted him one wheelchair every five years, meaning if it broke down before he was due for a new one, he would have to rely on his manual chair. Manual wheelchairs take more effort to use, are harder to navigate with bus ramps, and are especially challenging in the snowy Utah winters. With no way to fix his wheelchair and limited options, John turned to UATP for help.

At UATP, John discovered he could try out electric wheelchairs on loan and even purchase one at a much lower cost than market value, which is exactly what he did. “I heard that the university had a lab where they offered donated wheelchairs. So I came up here and found one I liked, which enabled me to get back out into society a lot more.” 

Through this new wheelchair, John found himself out and about, heading to the Summerfest Arts Faire in Logan in 2021, a three-day festival celebrating art and artists in Cache Valley. One woman, Sara, was volunteering at the festival. She was a regular at Jump the Moon art studio, which “provides art-making opportunities for individuals and other nonprofit groups who serve those with disability challenges,” according to their website.  

Sara was having difficulty figuring out the right bus route to make it to fairgrounds, so John offered to ride with her.

“We got on the bus together, and we sat next to each other and started talking,” John said. They discovered they had shared interests in sports, art, and music, and decided to get to know each other a little better.

After a few months of dating, they moved in together. A couple of years later, in September 2023, they tied the knot.

However, while Sara and John's relationship progressed, Sara's health condition worsened. She has faced numerous health complications throughout her life—tumors, collapsed lungs, and Crohn’s disease, among others. After her left lung collapsed, tearing a hole in it, it became challenging to walk long distances. Despite her struggles, her insurance denied her a wheelchair.  

John took her to the UATP to find a device that would suit Sara's needs and keep her independent. They found a Quickie power wheelchair that could carry around oxygen tanks. 

Without it, Sara wouldn’t have been able to manage her day-to-day life. “She’s on oxygen all the time now,” John added. “From the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed, she needs it, and anywhere she goes outside the room. But that doesn’t stop us.” 

“I’m just happy they helped me out,” Sara said, referring to UATP. “Before my disease got worse, way back before I met him, I was in the hospital a lot. ...I couldn’t even walk barely, and I had to use my stepmom’s lift  because I would get so exhausted with the stairs."

Now, Sara and John both get plenty of use out of their wheelchairs—affectionately named Jedha and Razor Crest from the Star Wars universe. They use them to go to restaurants, festivals and theaters.

 “Even though she's in a wheelchair, we still dance—wheelchair style. It’s cute watching us dance together when we find the right music,” John said.  

Sara and John just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, with the hope of many more to come.

Images:

Top right: Sara and John's wedding day. Sara kisses John in front of colorful flowers.

Bottom left: Sara in Jedha, her wheelchair.