Eric Weiner

It is a story repeated throughout the construction trades industry. That of a sole proprietor who saw opportunities in the marketplace and acted upon them to create his own business. Erik Weiner saw just such an opportunity in his hometown of Marlborough, Massachusetts, where he established his general construction firm. Eric Weiner & Sons engaged in roofing, plumbing and remodeling projects.

The fall damaged to his spinal cord, paralyzing him at C7. He laid on the roof in 24° weather for 7 ½ hours until his wife convinced people that something had happened! He now found himself a quadriplegic, adjusting to a whole new life. His income was reduced by 60%, and he had no extra money for items or aids to assist with daily living. Workman’s Comp installed ramps to his home, widened doorways and remodeled the bathroom. He sought home automation/environmental controls so that he could become more independent around the house. The request was denied as not being medically necessary. During his rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, he came across the name of our foundation while looking through some resource information which they provided. He sent in an application for assistive technology resources.

Eric broke his neck and was paralyzed from the chest down due to the fall. Ann worked at a local library, but he was the main breadwinner in the family. Following the initial hospitalization, Eric was in rehab for a number of months. The emotional, physical and financial burden they faced was almost overwhelming. Their daughter and son-in-law immediately set up a go fund me page to help with the medical bills not covered by insurance. Once Eric moved home, he faced additional challenges. He had Workmen’s Comp. insurance, but they are fighting him on his coverage and that has turned into a legal challenge. After about a year he was able to get a wheelchair, used van, a manual hand crank Hoyer Lift and a makeshift ramp to get into the home. The ramp was tricky to navigate and Eric drove off it by accident once. The manual Hoyer Lift was difficult for Ann to operate on the carpet that was in their bedroom. I can easily relate to this issue, as we faced the same exact problem following my injury. At any rate, Eric’s daughter Jessica was referred to our foundation by an employee of United Spinal, an association founded in 1946 which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people living with spinal cord injuries. Jessica and her husband reached out to the foundation to request the installation of a ceiling based Hoyer Lift as well as construction of a permanent and safe ramp into the home.

The ramp project was delayed by a late spring blizzard, but was completed by a company specializing in mobility access for the disabled. In addition, a ceiling based Hoyer Lift system was installed, making it immensely easier to help Eric get into and out of his wheelchair. When the entire project was completed, Jessica sent a note of thanks to the foundation, saying “thank you so much for your time, consideration, love and support.”