A local family received the keys to its new Habitat for Humanity home during a ceremony at Bluewater Health Wednesday afternoon. Jessica McDowell knew she needed help after her partner Les was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash in July 2015. Les, still recovering at Bluewater Health, now faces new challenges as a quadriplegic. Jessica says they needed to find something more accessible for her, Les and their son Jaxon. "Les, when he comes home, he'll be able to move around the home quite easily, it's a perfect home for us," says McDowell, who works as a nurse at St. Joseph's Hospice. "Our current home was not in anyway shape or form able to be renovated into a wheelchair accessible home." Their new home at 360 Maria St. was built in 2010 for a mom and her disabled daughter, who then sold it back to Habitat after they relocated outside of Sarnia. Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Sarnia-Lambton, Sarah Reaume, says the house is a perfect fit for the new family, with wheelchair ramps, an accessible shower and wider halls and doorways.
Les Shortt, Jessica McDowell and their son Jaxon hold the keys to their new Habitat for Humanity home. March 23, 2016 (photo by Jake Jeffrey)
