For Brian, that moment was more than just a breath of fresh air—it was a reminder that life could be easier. That freedom, after years of struggle, was possible.

“It’s such a dream,” he said of their new wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Voyager. “Push a button, and the door opens. Push another, and the ramp comes down. That’s it. No stress. Just ease.”

For years, that kind of simplicity was out of reach.

Brian is Michael’s grandfather, guardian, and constant companion. Michael, now in his early 20s, was born with cerebral palsy, severe developmental delays, and agenesis of the corpus callosum—a condition that affects how the two sides of the brain communicate. He’s non-verbal and requires 24/7 care.

Brian has been by his side for nearly two decades. And before that? His life looked a lot different.

He worked as a self-employed carpentry subcontractor. He cooked in restaurants, played music, wrote poetry. He was in a long-term relationship, saving to buy a home.

But when Michael needed someone to step in, Brian didn’t hesitate.

“I had to get really essential about things,” he said. “A lot of things fell apart. But what came together mattered more.”

What followed were years of survival mode, living in a 1993 Ford E350 camper van with no air conditioning and more than 175,000 miles on it. For a time, it was their only home.

It was also a major barrier.

Brian stopped taking Michael on everyday errands—it became too difficult, too hot, too risky. Medical appointments required hours of planning. Grocery store trips had to be quick and careful.

And yet, through it all, Brian created a life full of beauty.

Michael doesn’t speak, but he’s deeply present. He plays with mirrors and shakers, often watching Brian through the reflection as he waves. He can pull out his tray when it’s mealtime. And recently, after two decades of Brian modeling it, Michael picked up a maraca and started shaking it back.

“He lives completely in the moment, Brian said. “And that’s had an effect on me.”

That presence shows up in other ways, too. Once a week, Brian plays guitar at the Sunshine Center, a memory care program for older adults. He brings Michael along. One afternoon, as the group began to sing louder than usual, Michael joined in with his own voice.

Afterward, Brian told the crowd, “Michael noticed you all singing and he tried to sing along. Let’s give him a hand.” The applause lit him up.

Caregiving brings with it a quiet kind of magic—the kind built on patience, presence, and love.

But it’s also known, at times, to bring extreme isolation, too.

“When you’re a caregiver and you’re not supported by others, it’s really hard,” Brian said. “But organizations like Chive Charities, like Habitat for Humanity… they restore my faith in people.”

Thanks to supporters like you supporting caregivers like Brian, Chive Charities partnered with AMS Vans to provide Brian and Michael with a $55,000 grant for a wheelchair-accessible 2021 Chrysler Voyager.

The difference was immediate.

“It allows us to go places we just couldn’t before,” Brian said. “And now we can think about what’s next, instead of how we’re going to get there.”

Michael can go to events, tag along on errands, or just enjoy the ride through town. For the first time in a long time, the world feels open again.

When asked what he’d want to say to other caregivers, Brian paused. Then he said:

“Be in the moment. Squeeze as much joy out of the day as you can.”

He quoted Goethe—”Nothing is worth more than this day.”

And when you listen to Brian talk about life with Michael—the interactions, the experiences, the music—it’s clear he means it.

The new van didn’t just make life easier. It made it possible for them to keep saying yes to the kind of moments that matter.

Brian and Michael still have long days. There are still appointments, still challenges, still things to figure out. But now, they also have momentum. Possibility. A new home on the horizon. And a new van to help them get there.

Through it all, they hold onto a simple truth: Nothing is worth more than this day.

So let’s make this day count. Become part of our life-changing mission—DONATE HERE.