Woman wanted sister to meet her wheelchair-user boyfriend — she got emotional when she saw what her sister installed in her home
The concept of “if they wanted to, they would” doesn’t always apply to a better half or a romantic partner. It can also apply to friends and family who go out of their way to make things work. Serena Denson (@serenadenson) managed to pull off something super amazing for her sister-in-law, Jamie Gausmann and her boyfriend, two-time paralympian Steve Emt, per PEOPLE. Gausmann expressed her wish for Emt to be able to witness the majestic atmosphere in the Denson’s Upper Peninsula home but that was impossible since the entire house was built on a height. Serena, together with her husband, Den, took it upon themselves to turn things around.
The couple owns a property in the Upper Peninsula where they unwind and relax. It is a feeling like no other and Gausmann hoped Emt would get to witness it. Unfortunately, having been in a wheelchair since the age of 25, it was questionable how he would actually be able to make things work. However, Serena had met Emt before and quite liked the guy’s resilience, so she thought it would be worth it to give an improv a shot. “Seeing how [Emt] navigated life in a wheelchair opened my eyes to the everyday challenges people with physical disabilities face, especially when it comes to something as basic as entering a home,” she explained.
The only problem was that the cabins were built at a height with steps at the entrance. The Densons decided to brainstorm and figure out a way to create a ramp to make things more accessible. “I knew in order to have [him] visit, we would need to build a ramp to get into one of the cabins,” Serena said, adding that the property didn’t have decks, so that meant they’d have to create both. “We really wanted him to experience the UP (Upper Peninsula) and when we told [Gausmann] we were going to build a ramp, she was SO excited,” Serena recalled. Sharing a video on TikTok, the woman captured how they went about the process.
With just four days in hand to make things work, she had to first convince her husband to take the lead on the project. “It took a little persuasion to get him on board. But his love for his sister outweighed any hesitation, and he was fully committed to getting it done to see her happy,” the woman recounted. Finally, after a four-day effort, the deck and ramp at the entrance were ready for Emt to make his way. The man was able to enjoy the property and the breathtaking views without having to be dependent or uncomfortable. Thanks to the Densons, he fit right in! While the ramp and deck weren’t perfect, it was totally accessible for Emt.
As for the Paralympian, he couldn’t be more grateful. “To say that this is an incredible feat by two very caring people would be an understatement,” Emt said, adding that he was “blown away” by their generosity. “For somebody with a disability like myself, to have access to such a beautiful home and land to roam around without any barriers is the definition of independence that we are all striving for,” he remarked. The couple plans to make more changes when they get the time because this simple encounter left an eye-opening realization. “It made me realize how isolating inaccessibility can be. Can you imagine not being able to visit your friends or family because of a few steps? I couldn’t. That’s why this project became so important to me,” Serena noted.
@serenadenson I know it’s not ADA compliant, we only had four days to build it so give us a break 🤪 #wheelchair #wheelchairramp #fyp #travel ♬ Grateful - Dusty Grey
You can follow Serena Denson (@serenadenson) on TikTok for more content on family.