At first glance, 22 year old Jennae Sampson is like any other student ready to take on the world.
The only difference is she has cerebral palsy and a need for a little help from a wheelchair.
“When people say you can’t do that, I like to show them that I can and I’ll probably do it better than you can,“ said Sampson.
Sampson is a student at the Pepin Transitional School at the public defender’s office in downtown Tampa.
She uses her wheelchair to get from class to nine blocks away at her job site training at TECO.
“The chair was getting old and the wheel started rocking. We got it fixed and four days later the bigger wheel popped off and collapsed,” said Sampson.
“It’s a crucial part in what she needs for her life,” said Pepin co-founder Crisha Scolaro.
Hands Across the Bay and Wheelchairs 4 Kids delivered new wheels to her.
“She really struggled when her last chair broke. She struggled, but she made sure she got to work every single day. She’s an inspiration,” said Madeline Robinson, executive director of Wheelchairs 4 Kids.
Jennae’s new Hoveround wheelchair makes life a bit easier.
She doesn’t have to worry if she’ll make it to school or work on time. She’s only focused on getting the job done.
“I like the fact someone actually took the time out to help me get something I actually needed,” said Sampson.