Barrie man says his wheelchair cushions were taken from a Rona parking lot
Walter Gyselinck was finally over the stress of leaving his house.
About a month ago, the Barrie resident — who can walk short distances but has consistent pain stemming from severe burns to his legs — was given a wheelchair by an Orillia business owner. But the equipment is virtually useless for now following an incident at the Rona store in the city’s south-end June 14, sometime between 5 and 6 p.m.
Gyselinck and his family had just finished shopping at the store. They folded the wheelchair and placed the device’s removable back and bottom cushions against their car. Walter’s wife then helped him get in the vehicle, a process that takes about “two to three minutes”, he said.
She then packed the purchases and wheelchair in the car and drove away. When he went to use the chair about two days later, he noticed the cushions had gone missing.
Gyselinck said the cushions were too heavy to be carried off by a strong wind and says they would have been picked up by someone. He can’t confirm whether they were taken while he was getting into the car, or grabbed after being mistakenly left behind.
He returned to Rona once the discovery was made but staff were unable to find the cushions.
“We’re still trying to get used to me being in a wheelchair,” he said, sitting on a couch in his living room recently. “Even if they were forgotten, at the end of the day, someone still took them. If you see medical equipment beside a wheelchair space, you’d think somebody left that behind.”
Both cushions are black, had labels sewn on that indicated their purpose as medical equipment, and will likely cost about $300 to $400 to replace. But the wheelchair is also an older model and cushions with an exact fit are difficult to find, Gyselinck said.
“I really started to enjoy going out again,” he said. “It was always such a chore; I’d have to mentally prepare myself to endure the pain. With the wheelchair, I could be around with my family.”
Gyselinck sustained third and fourth degree burns on his legs more than 20 years ago. He has severe nerve and muscle damage, drop foot, fibromyalgia and poor circulation. There is only a thin layer of skin left on his legs, and neither limb has sweat glands. He overheats easily and already wears a knee brace.
If he can’t find replacement cushions, he’ll either have to buy a new wheelchair or become reclusive again. The device can’t function properly without the missing pieces.
“For the past four or five years, I’ve been a complete shut-in,” he said. “I don’t like going out. It’s too hard and stressful.”
While Gyselinck is considering filing a police report, he’d just prefer to get the cushions back.
“I don’t want their story,” he said. “I wouldn’t go to the police if they just gave it back. They can just walk away and I’d be more than happy.”
Anyone with information on this incident can call Gyselinck at .
