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Pleasantville Rallies Around Family Seeking Wheelchair Van For 4-Year-Old

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. -- The Pleasantville community has come together to help a family in need.

The Ryan family

The Ryan family

Photo Credit: GoFundMe

A GoFundMe page launched by Chris and Dianna Ryan to help purchase a wheelchair van for their 4-year-old Emma Grace, who suffers from Ogden Syndrome, has raised more than $120,000 by 852 people in 28 days as of Friday afternoon. 

Emma did not breathe spontaneously at birth, spending the first months of her life at Lenox Hill and St. Mary's Children Hospital, according to the GoFundMe page.

At about five months, Emma started having seizures which affected her development. Today, Emma is legally blind, fed through a tube in her stomach and cannot talk, situp crawl, or reach, according to the GoFundMe page.  

The family moved to Pleasantville so Emma could attend Blythedale Children's Hospital where they said she has all of her therapies under one roof and is able to bond with other children. Emma also has a five-month-old sister, Fiona and a live-in special needs au pair, Sarah.

"Each day has its share of struggles and fears because a diagnosis like Emma's raises more questions than it answers," the family said on its GoFundMe page. 

The family said it needs to buy the van, which is not covered by insurance, by the end of the year since Emma has outgrown her car seat. Providing Emma with the wheelchair will give her a more comfortable, normal life, the family said.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

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