Keeping Up the Encouragement

“We’ve learned to roll with the punches, you know? And when we have setbacks, we just know that it’ll work out,” Carey said. “Maybe not in a timely manner, but we’ll get it eventually.”

She carries out her work through her nonprofit, Colton’s Encouragement, named after her son, Colton Carey, who had Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He died Feb. 11, 2023, at the age of 13.

When Colton lost his physical mobility at 8 years old, the family realized the difficulty associated with finding a chair that would fit his needs. He needed a chair with a standing mechanism and weight-bearing capabilities. The family paid out-of-pocket for the chair, which Carey said, they were fortunate to afford. Through that experience, she learned that not all families have the money to get the equipment designed for their children’s needs, and not all insurance companies cover the cost.

Carey discovered she and Colton could help.

“He loved it. He was just really excited to have his name associated with helping people,” Carey said.

Prior to the start of the organization, Carey worked as a physical therapist for 20 years and would use those connections to spread the word about the nonprofit. Her husband’s work as a chiropractor also helped in getting leads for families who needed help.

Many who come to Colton’s Encouragement are not only shocked by the cost of the equipment but also how much is not covered by some insurance providers. So, Carey works to find ways to pay for the equipment. Since she started in 2022, she has helped more than a dozen families get mobility vans, mobility strollers and specialized wheelchairs. All of which, would not be possible without her biggest encourager – Colton even tagged along during some of those deliveries.

“God gave (Colton) to us for a reason, we really just focused on giving him a good life. He got to do tons of things that most regular kids weren’t really able to do,” Carey said. “Walking through this is why we started this nonprofit.”