POINT LOMA, Calif. (KGTV) — Anne Dell'acqua is on a mission to honor her late husband, Thomas, who passed away last Saturday at the age of 83 from complications related to Parkinson's disease.
"I keep thinking he is going to show up, and he's not, and it's hard," Anne said, reflecting on her emotional struggle since her husband’s death.
I first met the couple back in August.
The couple, married for 28 years, faced a challenging journey when Thomas expressed his frustrations after the theft of his wheelchair outside his home, stating, "I can't understand someone who did this. I hate thieves."
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Shortly after their story aired came a flood of calls and emails from viewers, including an Escondido woman who wanted to donate a brand new wheelchair anonymously. Soon after, I delivered the wheelchair to the house.
Upon receiving the wheelchair, Thomas displayed a smile of gratitude and remarked, "It makes me feel wonderful," and added, "like somebody out there really cares."
The newly donated wheelchair proved to be special for Thomas; it was easy to maneuver with user-friendly brakes. It became a symbol of kindness from a stranger and an essential part of his daily life.
In wishing to find a new home for the wheelchair, Anne is determined to “give it forward."
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She believes that her husband would want someone else to benefit from it, sharing in the joy and support he received.
"I see him sitting in it, and I want someone else to be able to sit in it, and get as much enjoyment out of it," she said.
Anyone interested in receiving the wheelchair or who knows someone in need is encouraged to reach out to reporter Michael Chen at Michael.Chen@10news.com.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
