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Dying boy's wheelchair broken on airplane
NEW YORK, Air Canada says it is doing its best to replace a dying 10-year-old Vancouver boy's custom-made wheelchair, which was broken on a flight to New York.
Tanner Bawn, who suffers from Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, is in New York for a charity run, "Tutus for Tanner," to raise money to have his home remodeled, the Toronto Star reported. Bawn would like to spend his last days there, and the changes would allow a caretaker to be there to help his single mother.
Catherine Connors of Toronto, a popular blogger and Tanner's aunt, said Air Canada told her the chair would not be repaired until Monday.
"The Internet sprung into action last night but Air Canada didn't," Connors said Thursday.
Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the airline, said the chair was taken apart for shipping and then could not be put together in New York.
"It's just not acceptable to be breaking wheelchairs," he acknowledged. "We do our best not to do that, but unfortunately sometimes these things happen."
Connors said her nephew wants to see Grand Central Station and the Museum of Natural History as well as attend the run, part of a larger conference for female bloggers. And she said he has been "embarrassed" by the attention since the news broke about his wheelchair.
"He's got a smile on his face," she said. "He always does."
NEW YORK, Air Canada says it is doing its best to replace a dying 10-year-old Vancouver boy's custom-made wheelchair, which was broken on a flight to New York.
Tanner Bawn, who suffers from Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, is in New York for a charity run, "Tutus for Tanner," to raise money to have his home remodeled, the Toronto Star reported. Bawn would like to spend his last days there, and the changes would allow a caretaker to be there to help his single mother.
Catherine Connors of Toronto, a popular blogger and Tanner's aunt, said Air Canada told her the chair would not be repaired until Monday.
"The Internet sprung into action last night but Air Canada didn't," Connors said Thursday.
Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the airline, said the chair was taken apart for shipping and then could not be put together in New York.
"It's just not acceptable to be breaking wheelchairs," he acknowledged. "We do our best not to do that, but unfortunately sometimes these things happen."
Connors said her nephew wants to see Grand Central Station and the Museum of Natural History as well as attend the run, part of a larger conference for female bloggers. And she said he has been "embarrassed" by the attention since the news broke about his wheelchair.
"He's got a smile on his face," she said. "He always does."