SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A University Heights man diagnosed with Parkinson's disease received a new electric wheelchair Thursday after his previous one was stolen from his backyard.
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"It's here, it's here," Bill Cumley exclaimed after the delivery truck arrived.
The moment had been playing in Cumley's head for two months as he waited for his new mobility device to arrive.
"I'm great now!" Cumley told the delivery person.
I first met Cumley, 65, in mid-April after his custom electric wheelchair was stolen from the yard of his home on Adams Avenue.
"It means everything to me," Cumley said during our April interview.
Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 18 years ago, Cumley relied on the wheelchair whenever he left his house. The Medicare co-pay to replace the chair would be $3,000, money Cumley didn't have.
But as soon as our story aired, donations poured into a GoFundMe campaign. Within 24 hours, he had enough to cover the co-pay.
"I didn't think in my wildest dreams," a tearful Cumley said in our April 21 follow-up interview.
After ordering the chair, the waiting began. During that time, Cumley's mobility was severely limited.
"Was in the house a lot. Went through some depression, because I was inside so much and didn't get out. That's all about to change now," Cumley said.
That change arrived Thursday morning in the form of a new wheelchair with upgraded features, including a hydraulic lift to help him get out of the chair.
"Wonderful, reminds me my mobility is restored," Cumley said when asked how he felt in his new chair.
Cumley plans to use his wheelchair most days of the week and is grateful to those who helped make it possible.
"I have a lot to make up for," Cumley said, fighting back tears. "I want to thank all the viewers for their kindness, bending over backwards to help a stranger. I'll always remember it."
This story was reported on-air 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.
