Finn Sheets is 15 years old and lives with cerebral palsy. His mother, Kasey, has spent the past two years fighting with the Ohio Department of Medicaid and the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities to get them to pay for a stairlift so that Finn has access to the basement of their home. She was denied, and an appeal was also denied. One reason for the denial was that access to the basement was not considered a factor in Finn’s quality of life, according to records Kasey shared with the local news.
Ultimately, a local business owner named Kurt Gerber, who owns a local business called Accessible Home Pro, heard Finn’s story. He met with Finn and his family and ended up donating a stairlift to them.
As someone with cerebral palsy, this story is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I am so glad that Kurt Gerber was able to help. I’m sure his kindness meant so much to Finn and his family. However, I am deeply troubled by the fact that Finn’s access to his basement wasn’t considered “a factor in his quality of life.”
I received my newest power wheelchair five years ago. My insurance company refused to pay for the seat elevation feature on my new power wheelchair because it wasn’t deemed “medically necessary.” I don’t need the seat elevator to stay alive or prevent health issues. However, the seat elevator helps me maximize my independence and participate in more activities.
Apparently, disabled people’s quality of life doesn’t matter to insurance companies. Too often, insurance companies and government agencies view equipment and home modifications through the narrow lens of medical necessity. If something does not keep us alive, prevent hospitalization, or treat a medical condition, it is often dismissed as optional. But for disabled people, accessibility is not a luxury. It is the foundation of independence, dignity, and full participation in our communities.
For Finn, access to the basement was never just about reaching another floor of his home. It was about having the same access to his living space that nondisabled people take for granted every day. For me, seat elevation is not about convenience. It is about being able to reach items independently, interact with people at eye level, and participate more fully in the world around me.
Disabled people deserve more than the bare minimum required for survival. We deserve the opportunity to live full, meaningful lives. When insurers and public agencies refuse to recognize the role that accessibility plays in independence, they send a troubling message: that our quality of life is less important than their budgets and bureaucratic language.
Stories like Finn’s remind us that kindness still exists. Kurt Gerber stepped in when the healthcare system failed, and his generosity deserves recognition. But charity should not be a substitute for systemic failure. Disabled people should not have to rely on the kindness of strangers to access their own homes, attend family activities, or live with greater independence.
A stairlift, a seat elevator, and countless other accessibility tools are not extravagant requests. They are tools that allow disabled people to participate in daily life. If quality of life truly matters, then policies, funding decisions, and insurance coverage should reflect that reality. Right now, far too often, they do not.
Source:
Olivas, Kaylee. “‘Overwhelmed, Grateful’: Denied a Stair Lift, Ohio Teen Gets a Life-Changing Surprise from Local Business.” News 5 Cleveland WEWS, 28 Sept. 2026, https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/overwhelmed-grateful-denied-a-stair-lift-ohio-teen-gets-a-life-changing-surprise-from-a-local-business.