By Kirsten Fiscus
Montgomery Advertiser, Ala.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Injured officer Carlos Taylor and his family were 30 minutes late to their party even though they had no idea where they were headed, just that they were behind schedule.
Punctuality is a common issue for them through no fault of their own.
Waiting on an ambulance to carry them across town to Stivers Ford on Wednesday, the Montgomery Fire Rescue instead sent one of their medics trucks to pick up the group. It’s the only way Taylor, who is wheelchair bound, can get around town and the family often finds themselves at the mercy of the ambulance company and their schedule.
But soon they’ll be able to come and go as they please in their new ceramic gray, 2020 Chrysler Pacifica, thanks to a donation by Eddie Stivers, president of Stivers Automotive Group.
Taylor, elected president of his graduating police academy class in 2016, was on duty in February 2017 when he was in a car wreck. The accident left the Montgomery police officer with a brain stem injury ultimately leaving him unable to walk or communicate verbally.
Alabama Wounded Blue, which had been raising money for Taylor’s van, fundraised about half the cost of a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Now, they’ll be able to spend that approximately $30,000 outfitting the Chrysler so Taylor can finally go for a drive whenever he wants.
The van will first take a trip to Indiana where Superior Van and Mobility will retrofit the vehicle for Taylor’s needs.
Taylor’s mother, Angela, and sister, Mahogany, longed for the day they’d be told the fundraiser was a success. It came sooner than they expected and outside the dealership they allowed themselves to cry with happiness.
“We’re just so thankful,” Angela Taylor said. “I just don’t know what else to say. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
©2020 the Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Ala.)