For Garrett Goebel, vehicles have always meant more than just transportation. They’ve been a key part of his journey to independence.

“The first experience we had, I was probably 10 or 11 years old,” he recalled. “My dad’s company was willing to pay to get him a handicap vehicle for me to have easier access, because he gets a work vehicle already.” That first vehicle was a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan, customized with the help of Certified Mobility Consultant Stacy Krubsack from our MobilityWorks team in Cinnaminson.

“It was great, we still have it. We’re actually hoping to sell it soon and get it to someone else who could use it, since we have something new,” he said.

That “something new” is a 2023 Chevy Silverado — a dream come true for Garrett, who’s an avid outdoorsman.

“I really wanted a truck. I was dead set on a truck. I hated driving a minivan – with the amount of hunting and fishing I do, it was not my thing.”

Garrett worked closely with Stacy for months to find the right vehicle and equipment to match his lifestyle. “I’d go in every once in a while, and we’d talk for an hour or so and figure out different things. Stacy was great about it; she helped me figure out everything I needed – what would work for me, what wouldn’t work for me, pricing, and liability issues. She was amazing.”

The result? A customized Silverado outfitted with a lift platform, hand controls, and a crane system that allows Garrett to load and unload his wheelchair independently. “The truck actually has a crane in the bed… I pull a carabiner down so I can hook up my chair, then it swings back up and puts it in the bed of the truck,” he explained. “Inside, connected to the driver’s seat, is basically a platform… I jump onto that, press a button and it lifts me up.”

🎥 Watch Garrett demonstrate how the crane system works in his truck:

The truck hasn’t just helped Garrett get around, it’s opened up the world. “It helps me get into areas that most people wouldn’t even want to walk to,” he said. “Like when I go deer hunting in Pennsylvania with my uncle, we’re driving two or three miles into the woods down trails.”

That same sense of determination has guided Garrett since he was a teen. “I always wanted my independence. I got very lucky with my parents; they always forced me to be independent and never let anything stop me,” he said. “For years, I was a passenger… when I was 15 or 16, we started looking into driving classes.”

With the right training and modifications, including a six-way seat and hand controls, Garrett got on the road. And he hasn’t stopped since.

Today, Garrett encourages others in the disability community to do the same: “Don’t let anything stop you. Everything is available to you. You have a supercomputer in your pocket — start doing research. Even if you think you have the dumbest question in the world, look it up. You’ve just got to keep going, keep trying.”

He also stresses the power of community. “You’ve got to get involved in some sort of sport in your area. Whether it’s hunting, fishing, or I also play sled hockey. Find a disabled program and get the camaraderie. Find other people who are like you and learn from them.”

That mindset has helped him pay it forward. “I’ve helped so many people. One of my buddies worked with Stacy, and she got him a complete minivan. They never thought he was going to be able to drive because he has a muscle disability. She found a product that released some of the weight on the steering wheel, and he can drive perfectly now.”

Garrett’s story is a reminder that the right mobility tools and the right support can make anything possible.

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Want to hear more inspiring stories like Garrett’s?

Visit our InMotion page to explore how others in the MobilityWorks community are finding freedom and adventure in their own unique ways.