In Support of Dayton Family
Support Registry
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Vea Dayton is a vibrant six-year-old who loves being out
in the world. She was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease from a DNM1L
mutation and presents with dystonia. She uses a wheelchair, has a G-tube, and communicates
with an AAC device. She has already surpassed the life expectancy originally given,
and her medical team continues to say, get ready to celebrate many more years
with her. And celebrate is exactly what she does—this girl lives for outings
to Chuck E. Cheese, the library, parks, the mall, jumping gyms, church,
and anywhere her family can take her. The moment she wakes up, she’s ready to go.
She
also has three sweet siblings—8, 5, and 3—who adore her. Mom and dad work
endlessly to give all four kids the childhood they deserve. But as Vea grows, getting
her wheelchair in and out of a standard vehicle has become more physically demanding
and, honestly, emotionally limiting. She has also outgrown her current wheelchair,
and their current car cannot accommodate a larger one. When someone says,
“Hey, why don’t you stop by?” or “We’re headed to the park for an hour,” it’s not
as simple as hopping in the car. And beyond the strain, it’s not as safe
for children in wheelchairs, after a certain age, to ride in ways that aren’t designed
for them. A wheelchair-accessible van is the most secure and ergonomic
way for her to travel—positioned properly and with dignity. It also opens the door
for her siblings to have friends in the car, for spontaneous outings, and for the
family to keep saying yes to the life Vea loves.
The
cost, however—typically $70,000 to $90,000—is something most families never have
to consider for their six-year-old. As a community, we can help lift that
weight. This van would mean yes to more playdates, yes to safe therapy transportation,
yes to quick trips as a family, yes to protecting mom and dad’s long-term physical
health, and yes to the accessibility Vea will need as she grows. It means
yes to the things that help her live the full, joyful life she already fights for
every day.
This hasn’t been easy for the family. Saying
yes to help is vulnerable. They’ve been asked countless times, “How
can we support you?” and after a lot of thought, they’ve finally decided to
open the door and let their community walk with them through a SupportNow page.
The
average cost of raising a child with a disability ranges from $1.4 to $2.4 million—nearly
ten times more than that of raising a neurotypical child. It’s simply not
an even playing field. But together, we can help bridge that gap and give this sweet
girl—and her whole family—the freedom, safety, and connection they deserve.
Kali
will be posting updates here—both the journey to getting Vea her accessible van
and snapshots of everyday life for their family. You can support by sharing, following,
giving, praying—whatever you feel led to offer. Every gesture truly matters.
Updates
Keep up to date as needs change.
- Created Dec 12, 2025
- •
- Disability
- Report Support Registry
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Words of Support
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