Zenker was on the town for his first Vikings sport at U.S. Bank Stadium when his personalized mobility van was stolen from the resort car parking zone.
A lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan who misplaced his mobility van earlier than the massive Thanksgiving sport obtained good news the day after.
“They told me my life expectancy was 50,” mentioned Zenker.
Zenker, now 68, survived a automotive accident 34 years in the past, that left him paralyzed from the chest down.
“I’ve spent half of my life in the wheelchair, I’ve not sat and moped about it, I’ve kept going,” mentioned Zenker.
But after a virtually six-hour drive from Gackle, North Dakota, his wheels hit a bump within the highway Wednesday night, after arriving in downtown Minneapolis.
Zenker was on the town for his first Vikings sport at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Joel says he, his son and caregiver checked into the Normandy Inn and Suites and parked his personalized Chrysler Pacifica.
“It was brand new, I hadn’t even had it a month,” defined Zenker.
They left for the night, however after they returned…
“We were looking for my charger and all of a sudden we come down and look for it, the van is gone,” mentioned Zenker.
Zenker says he hadn’t even been in Minneapolis for six hours earlier than somebody was in a position to get right into a secured car parking zone and drive out together with his van containing his naked requirements that he wants simply to get by.
“It had a lift and everything in there that I use, I had my charger in there, my board to eat, my hearing aid charger too was in there.”
Also within the van, a second set of keys that would not usually be there.
“We kind of had a mix-up on that and nobody took the key out,” mentioned Zenker. “We were here to have a good time and it kind of just ruins the whole weekend.”
Even after one other bump within the highway, Zenker continues to be grateful to have sufficient power to maintain going.
“I’ve coped with enough stuff in my lifetime, this ain’t going to be the worst thing I’ve coped with you know what I’m saying, I’d just like to have my van back.”
On Friday, Minneapolis Police mentioned they situated the van on the 3500 block of Sheridan Avenue North. Officials say the automobile seems to be operational. No arrests have been made.
According to the town’s crime dashboard, there have been 5,502 reported motorized vehicle thefts in Minneapolis up to now this 12 months, in comparison with 3,731 reported at this identical time final 12 months.
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