U.S. Army Veteran Jeff Hall was gifted a TracFab chair from our Operational Partner, Defender Mobility. Jim Tignanelli, Defender Mobility’s Founder and President of the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM), learned of Jeff’s story and struggles at The 6th Annual Patriot Invitational in 2022. The Patriot Fund was proud to provide the necessary funding for Jeff Hall’s TracFab chair and most importantly, provide Jeff with the necessary freedom he deserves!
“I met Jeff Hall while attending a Patriot Fund event last fall. I heard him talking to some other Veterans with various disabilities about his 9-year-old daughter and how she was at an age where she liked playing in the park near their home and enjoyed going to the beach. He was unable to participate in either of these things since marrying her mom, Stephanie some five years ago. I keyed in on these tidbits and went to one of my friends with the Fund. I told him that I believed this man was a perfect candidate for a Defender Mobility chair. I further advised him that if he could raise the money, I would get it done. Funny part was, we had to go seek him out because I had no idea what his name was!
Because of “supply chain” issues, it took longer to get the chair than it generally does. When it finally arrived at the distributor, we determined it would be easier to have it crated and shipped to a Patriot Fund donor who had a small sheet metal shop near Jeff’s home. We flew in, rented a truck, and purchased new ramps at the local Tractor Supply. A short while later, it was uncrated and loaded into the pickup for the drive to it’s new home. Representatives of The Patriot Fund (Colonel (Ret) Michael S. Mikulski II and Patriot Fund Marketing Director, Lauren Maiale) were on hand with some local media specialists. A short while later, Jeff was driving through his sub (with wife on the back) to the local park that he longed to visit and which happens to be near his daughter’s elementary school. Jeff immediately became comfortable with the controls and determined he was going to pick up his daughter at school. He then drove through the neighborhood with his daughter on his lap. The laughter was infectious! This was the perfect fit for Defender Mobility, The Patriot Fund and most importantly, Jeff Hall.
Jeff served in the US Army from 1991-1998 and is quite the dad and husband. DEFENDER MOBILITY to the rescue!”
– Jim Tignanelli, Founder of Defender Mobility & POAM President
