Edmonton family’s van stolen and trashed

EDMONTON — An Edmonton family is without a vehicle to transport their son in after it was stolen and trashed late last week.

Amanda Nichol and her family are devastated because their van was able to help transport their son, Avery, who lives with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and scoliosis. Nichol says the van fit her son’s wheelchair perfectly, without having to take it apart while travelling.

Nichol parked the van outside her apartment building in the area of 121 Street and 103 Avenue Thursday night, but when she went outside Friday morning, it was nowhere to be found.

“Where’s my vehicle? I stood there for a couple minutes looking around,” she said Sunday afternoon, “there’s glass everywhere.”

Nichol went inside and phoned the police. The next day an officer called her back to tell her the van had been found, but it was completely trashed.

“He said that the passenger side window was smashed, everything in it is gone…including the stereo system,” she explained. “The driver’s side door won’t close any more and someone took a sharpie and vandalized inside with vulgar words all over the van.”

After hearing of the theft, a member of the Mental Health Matters Edmonton group started a Gofundme page for the family, in hopes of raising enough money to purchase a new specialized van.

“Having people help us…I feel really appreciative about it.”

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The Edmonton Police Service has confirmed the van was stolen and damaged.

The family got the van in September.

*Correction: This story originally stated the van was specially equipped for Nichol’s son. After further clarification Global News has learned the van was not specially equipped, but it fit Avery’s wheelchair perfectly.