Filed under: Crossover, Canada, Ford, Videos, Technology, Safety, Design/Style, SUV, Road Trips
Everyone loves a good surprise and Me to We motivational speaker, author and double amputee Spencer West is no exception. West was candidly caught off guard when presented with a custom 2014 Ford Escape donated by Ford of Canada which he’s personally driving coast-to-coast across Canada as part of Free The Children’s ten-week, 90 stop We Create Change Tour.
After being told that he would never be a functioning member of society after losing both his legs at the age of five, Spencer West continues to redefine what is possible and inspire millions of people with his powerful stories of overcoming challenges. This custom designed 2014 Ford Escape has been outfitted by Ford engineers with advanced hand controls for the brake and gas pedal functions, plus extra padding in the driver seat, a custom seatbelt system and hand grips to ensure easy accessibility in and out of the vehicle for West and his wheelchair.
The remote control engine start and remote control lift-gate (which are already standard features) in the Ford Escape made this vehicle an ideal platform to suit West’s needs, offering added convenience and accessibility. The vehicle can also easily convert back to its traditional gas and brake pedals for use by other drivers too, offering maximum flexibility for years to come.
If his name already sounds familiar, Spencer West first made major headlines when he reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and then again after completing a 300 km trek across Alberta on his hands and in his wheelchair in support of clean water projects through Free The Children. This Summer’s We Create Change Tour is West’s third initiative with Free The Children and this time around he’s teamed up with Ford to focus on raising awareness for the fifty-seven million children across the world who are still denied the opportunity to go to school. West alongside MMVA nominated Canadian music act, Neverest and 11-year-old blogger/activist Hannah Alper are already on the road, as their Canada-wide road trip runs straight through until June 17 to help Canadian youth go further in making change.
Click here to watch the video above, as we caught up with Spencer West for a personal tour of his new car after he received the big surprised from the good folks at Ford of Canada.
Double amputee Spencer West drives custom Ford Escape on coast to coast road trip
Double amputee Spencer West drives custom Ford Escape on coast to coast road trip originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 09 Jun 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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