‘Our Friends in Chairs with Wheels’

In 1997, when young singer-songwriter Faith Ecklund was in a car crash that permanently paralyzed her, she used her situation to try and inspire others.

“I spoke to a lot of groups about life and how short it can be and how we can choose whether or not we make our own situations great or something that can hurt us,” Ecklund said in a recent interview. Taking her own words to heart, she continued to pursue a career in music and moved to Nashville from Washington two years ago to follow that path.

Meanwhile, Ecklund’s friend Carrie Case was pregnant with her first child. During her childhood, Case’s father suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, leaving him wheelchair-bound, and she didn’t want her child reacting to people in wheelchairs the same way people reacted to her father.

“It was frustrating how other people would react, talk really loud or wondering if it was okay to touch him. It was always hard to watch people not act normal,” Case said, offering this sound advice: “Just act normal and don’t make a huge deal out of it.”

Finding no helpful reading material for her children to learn that people in wheelchairs are just normal people, Case took it upon herself to write her own book with Ecklund’s help. The result is “Our Friends in Chairs with Wheels,” a children’s book explaining that people in wheelchairs are just like the little readers, going to school, playing guitar and surfing the web.

“My hope for the book is to show that everyone is normal. Even though I’m in a chair, it’s okay to ask questions. I’m not just a person in a chair; I’m a person, and the book is there to teach [kids] that,” Ecklund said. “In turn, we hope it helps the adult too. A lot of times I’m out and about and a kid will look at me and ask ‘what’s wrong with you?’ The mom will hush the kids but the kids really do want to know about you; it’s more so for the parent that doesn’t know about the situation to know that that’s okay.”

Case had the original notes for the idea over five years ago, but put them away in a drawer until a friend encouraged her to finish the book. After showing Ecklund, who thought it was a fantastic idea, the pair was able to complete it and get it published.

“I think the book is something everyone should have their hands on. It’s something everyone should have in their home. It’s so cool and so fun and so colorful,” Ecklund said.

The book was illustrated by 16-year-old Mikaela Gonzales, who infused the book’s message with a colorful cast of characters, some based on Ecklund and Case’s father. Gonzales also introduced Wheelchair Westcott, the unofficial mascot of the book – a wiener dog that uses a wheelchair.

Ecklund has also helped make “Our Friends in Chairs with Wheels” a multi-media project. Every purchase of the book comes with a free download of Ecklund’song “That’s How We Roll” off of her brand new EP “Walk With You.”

Visiting http://www.friendsinchairswithwheels.com offers plenty of activities for kids to enjoy outside the book including extended biographies on featured characters and games.

Through the entire writing process, Case’s motivation resided in her children.

“I wanted to be sure my kids treated everyone the same, that they would not react to a wheelchair with surprise, discomfort or fear,” Case says in the forward of the book.

As for what pushed Ecklund to continue with her dreams, she cites her faith as keeping her going after her accident.

“It’s the end-all – without it, all would be in vain. It’s totally my lifeline; it is what saved me, it is what grounded me, it is what keeps me afloat everyday. Without it there is no strong – it’s his strength not mine. I’m positive that even though life is hard, and life has thrown me quite the curveball, without (faith) I don’t know where I would be,” Ecklund said.