PICTURES: Lockdown campaign helps Alness man (21) dramatically broaden his horizons with new all-terrain wheelchair
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A YOUNG Alness man got his dream wheels after a sustained lockdown campaign by his local community.
Facing his 21st birthday during lockdown in a wheelchair that would only let him go one mile at a time, Dylan Bogue started a campaign to raise a whopping £22,000 for a machine that would help him follow his dreams.
The all-terrain chair will allow Dylan, who lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, attend music festivals and football matches and even make it to the beach – something he hasn’t done since he was a toddler.
His aunt Karen Brownlie masterminded a fundraising campaign which saw many putting aside their coronavirus concerns to help out.
She said: “This day would never have been possible without all that support. We as a family truly appreciate the generosity of everyone who has helped get his Extreme X8.
“He has had lots of fun already and enjoyed making a mess of his front grass dragging it into the house to make me hoover and mop again – can’t wait to see what adventures we can get up to.”
He started his own effort, travelling an hour a day on his NHS-issue chair. He said the support offered was a huge boost to his own mental health too.
Alongside bingo sessions and online fundraisers, another aunt, Yvonne McGowan (52), shaved her hair off and young boxing star Ewan Gliniecki (14) took on an endurance test to raise thousands for his friend.
And after just a few days with his new set of wheels, Dylan’s carers and family can be seen running around after him as he enjoys the hills, splashing his way through puddles – and going to places he has simply never gone before.
Related: Alness boxer goes the distance for his wheelchair-bound pal
New wheelchair will help Alness man (21) expand horizons
WATCH: Cheers as campaign hits halfway mark
