Jan 24, 2008 3 min read

The community rush to help an 8-year-old acquire a new specialized wheelchair is something that should make all Fayette Countians proud. It took just days after the theft of the wheelchair of Isaiah Kiss, who suffers from spina bifida, for good-hearted people to come together to solve the problem. Chief among them was Joe T. Joseph of American Legion Post 51 in Uniontown, who organized a ceremony at Kiss’ school, Menallen Elementary. With support from individuals and other organizations – including the Lion’s Club, The Children’s Charity in Pittsburgh and Blackburn Drug of Pittsburgh – Kiss has been measured for a new wheelchair that has been ordered.

“Isaiah Kiss, this is your day,” Joseph said at the ceremony. “When I heard about the theft, it made me feel like I had to do something. We want to make sure that your life is as normal as possible. We have been in contact with hundreds of people and your new wheelchair will be forthcoming.”

Joseph noted that his son has been in a wheelchair since he was injured in a car accident 26 years ago. He obviously is familiar with the needs of the wheelchair-bound. But what’s more impressive is how quickly Joseph and others rushed to the aid of a stranger in need.

A lot of stories with negative connotations are generated in Fayette County, centering on crime and poverty and sometimes-bizarre behavior. But that’s just one aspect of a much larger tapestry, one that includes good people doing good things, and even an expansive economy in which people with certain job skills are doing well. It’s still tough to shake the image of “Fayettenam,” however, especially when the actions of a segment of the population continue generating headlines.

Even the Kiss story, with its happy ending, generated yet another of those eye-catching and head-shaking stories: Someone stole his wheelchair from the family garage. Another story about someone in Uniontown doing something bad.

But we’ve long maintained that Fayette County is a good place to live, and toward that end have prodded elected officials, community and economic leaders, and citizens to make it even more so. Fayette County is full of good people who care about their communities and neighbors, even those they may not know, such as Kiss.

What the thief or thieves intend to do with a specialized wheelchair fitted for an 8-year-old remains baffling. Uniontown Mayor Ed Fike said, “Whoever did this must feel terrible.”

Here’s hoping that police track down the culprit or culprits and that they get the jail time they deserve. That would guarantee that they would at least feel terrible during their incarceration.