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Volunteers team up to make Jacksonville home more accessible for amputee, disabled wife

For the most part, the Swords were housebound.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Dana and Karen Sword became Jacksonville residents in 2021 after moving from Mississippi. 

The couple met at Tupelo Nursing and Rehab, becoming close friends before falling in love and getting married.

The pair moved into a home in the Park Ridge area, near Beach Boulevard. The problem was, their house was not wheelchair accessible.

Dana had inflammatory arthritis in his leg paired with a major blood clot. After the medication he was prescribed made the condition worse, his leg had to be amputated. Karen suffered two strokes, leaving her unable to walk.

Trying their best to make it work, Dana would struggle in and out of the house with a wheelchair before helping Karen down. For the most part, the Swords were housebound.

Then Dana heard about Builders Care of Northeast Florida.

Builders Care is a faith based nonprofit construction contractor that helps provide services to disabled and elderly residents at an affordable cost. The nonprofit is a branch of the Northeast Florida Builders Association.

Working with the Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS (NEFAR), a team was assembled to help the couple gain full access to their home. 

Builders Care provided the supplies while NEFAR provided the workers.

Together, the group set to work to build a ramp and deck in the front yard of the house, as well as a ramp in the backyard.

Four groups of volunteers took shifts to get the ramps built on Wednesday.

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Credit: FCN
The couple met at Tupelo Nursing and Rehab, becoming close friends before falling in love and getting married.

“We expected a little ramp to get out the door, we didn’t expect all this,” Dana said. “We couldn’t get out the door before without me hopping on one leg and pulling the wheelchairs behind me. The ramps make it so we can get out of the house. This impacts us greatly."

On Monday, a handful of volunteers will return to add finishing touches.

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