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South Valley Riverton Journal

Riverton Mother Strives to Bring Paraplegic Daughter Home

Nov 06, 2015 12:01PM ● By Bryan Scott

By Briana Kelley

 South Valley -  Sorensen is a Riverton resident, a nurse and a mother who lives with her severely handicapped son. In July, her 25-year-old daughter was in a serious rollover car accident and is now a paraplegic. Sorensen wishes to bring her daughter home to help her live a productive life. Doing so requires her to renovate her garage into a bedroom, a project that requires city approval and revenue that she does not have.

“It is my duty as a mother to bring her home so that she may live a productive life with her 6-year-old son. I have been told her life is over, I have been told her life is ruined. That’s not the case. I am a nurse. I will do what I have to for my children,” Sorensen said with tears in her eyes.

Sorensen attended Riverton’s city council meeting on Sept. 22 to encourage the approval of her Reasonable Accommodation Request. “I downsized when I moved to Riverton but now I need to bring her home. I am asking to be able to renovate my garage so that I may have a room for my daughter and for my grandson so that they may be able to live and I can be there to assist them, as well as my handicapped son,” Sorensen said. The council unanimously approved her request.

“I know Bambi, I’ve known her four years or so and I’ve always found her very upright. I think this is going to work out well and I just want to say that I really support this. I think this is great,” Councilmember Paul Wayman said.

Sorensen now needs to find the funds to make the necessary renovations. She approached one nonprofit organization but they recently told her that, though they have people willing to donate their time and skills, they do not have the $20,000 necessary for materials to complete the project. Sorensen has also opened a donation account at Wells Fargo under Keysha Jones. Sorensen says she will do what she can to raise money for the renovation.

“Now I’m just scared that she’s going to come to my house and not have anything. I’ve been told to put her in a home, I’ve been told to put her in the living room. It’s just hard. My grandson needs his mom and my daughter needs her little boy. As hard as it is, I don’t have a choice in the matter. You do what you have to do. I try and think positive and I try and stay strong, but it’s stuff like this that wears me down,” Sorensen said.