Opening the Door to Independence. Kindness Tag Initiative.
This holiday season, we are helping Keith get an automatic door opener. Please help us open the door for him. DONATE.
Keith Larson: People who know Keith describe him as kind and someone who often makes others laugh.
On December 30, 1981, Keith was doing something ordinary, driving to pick up a friend, when a drunk driver changed the course of his life. The crash left him in a coma for weeks and ultimately led to life in a wheelchair.
When Keith woke up, the weight of what had happened hit him all at once. He remembers feeling overwhelmed and helpless, wondering if this was all his life would ever be.
In the years that followed, Keith lived in places that provided care but slowly took away his independence. In a nursing home, nearly every part of his day was controlled. He was told when to shower, when to eat, what to watch, and when to go to bed. There was little privacy, little choice, and very little sense of being treated like a person.
“It was demeaning,” Keith says simply.
Everything changed when Keith moved into his own apartment at Over the Rainbow.
Today, Keith lives in a fully accessible apartment designed for independent living. He sets his own schedule, cooks when he wants, watches what he wants, and spends time with neighbors he now calls friends, sometimes sharing coffee or dinner together.
People who know Keith describe him as kind and someone who often makes others laugh.
For the first time in years, he lives in a real home, not an institution.
““Living here feels like freedom,””
Keith making Harriet our Resident Service Coordinator Laugh.
Kindness Tag Initiative: Let’s help Keith get an Automatic Door Opener.
Keith Larson tells his story and how a heavy fire-proof door for safety has become a daily barrier to independence. We can help!
One daily obstacle still limits his freedom.
Keith uses a power wheelchair and has use of only one hand. The heavy, fire-rated doors in his building, critical for safety, are extremely difficult for him to open. He often cannot open the door and operate his wheelchair at the same time, turning a simple task into a daily struggle.
An automatic door opener would change that immediately, allowing Keith to enter and exit his home independently, safely, and with dignity.
That’s where OTR’s Kindness Tag Initiative comes in. Kindness Tag is about identifying real, everyday barriers our residents face and inviting our community to help remove them in meaningful, tangible ways. This year, we are hoping to fund an automatic door opener for Keith, a simple solution that would dramatically improve his independence and quality of life.
It’s about treating people with disabilities as individuals first, both at home and in the world. Sometimes, it starts with a door that finally opens.
No matter the size of the gift, when we come together, we can make a meaningful difference. Support our Kindness Tag Initiative.
