Elon student builds wheelchair ramp for Graham resident

The Elon Ramp Pilot Project is going to build a new ramp for a resident in Graham, NC. Michelle Megurdichian told me what drove her to start this project.

Insurance does not cover ramps and they can be very pricey so i had this idea why don’t we you know start a ramp building program here that clinicians can refer patients to, community members can reach out to if they need a ramp if they’re unable to afford one of their own,” said Megurdichian.

After applying for grants and not receiving them, Michelle decided to take matters into her own hands regardless of the trials and errors,” said Megurdichain

I decided for this build we would do a GoFundMe because I thought that it would be kind of easier and a good way to get the word out about this organization and it was super successful, I think I put it out and within a week we had raised all the funds,” said Megurdichain.

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Megurdichian received many volunteers to help and donate their time for the upcoming build. She then met the wheelchair recipient that would receive the ramp.

“The change was so drastic that I didn't know how to have a new life in this condition of living in a wheelchair,” said Alvaro Torralba

Torralba has been in a wheelchair since 2020 after a lesion was found in his spine. He only speaks Spanish and Michelle only speaks English but that hasn’t stopped Michelle from helping.

Torralba has been using this emergency ramp for the past four years but it’s steep and crooked, so it’s been hard for him to be able to go up and down it by himself.

When she told me there was a possibility that I would be able to have a ramp where I would be able to go down by myself. It was such excellent news for me, I got really excited,” said Torralba.

Although Torralba is disabled that doesn’t stop him from helping family. His day consists of cooking for his wife and three daughters, cleaning his home, and taking care of his dog, Oso.

When I asked Torralba what he would say to someone in a similar situation he said: “Life does not end, there’s many things to discover that one can do in this life. Just being in this condition does not mean that one's life is over.”

The ramp for Torralba will be installed February 3rd. His goal for the end of the year is to be able to find a job. Megurdichian wants to continue to build ramps for the residents of Alamance County.