Chicago mother says broken wheelchair lift is trapping disabled son at home as funding deadline nears

CHICAGO - "This is dangerous… very dangerous."

Tears filled Cecilia Reed’s eyes as she described the daily struggle of caring for her son inside their Washington Heights home on South May Street on Chicago’s South Side.

"That’s my son. That’s my heartbeat," Reed said. "I’ll die for him. And I shouldn’t have to beg and plead to get help."

The backstory:

For the 58-year-old single mother, every trip outside her home has become a physical and emotional challenge.

Her 32-year-old son, Darrick Reed Jr., lives with cerebral palsy and scoliosis — conditions that make walking up and down stairs extremely difficult.

"He had a double osteotomy surgery where he has 10 plates and 21 screws from his hips down," Reed explained. "He do have a wheelchair, but he can walk. However, going up and down stairs is a major challenge for him."

The family’s exterior wheelchair lift, installed in 2019, was supposed to provide Darrick safe access in and out of the home. But now, Cecilia says, the lift only works intermittently.

When it rains, she says the lift fails. During snow and ice, it stops working completely.

Adding to the problem, Cecilia says replacement parts are no longer available. And when the lift breaks down, she becomes her son’s only way in and out of the house.

"Derek is 152 pounds solid," she said.

Cecilia demonstrated the physically exhausting process she now uses to help her son navigate the stairs.

"I sit down on the platform right there and I lean him forward on my back and I scoop down the steps," she explained. "Or I’ll stand up, have him stand up like this… and then I have to lift him up each step and bring him down backwards. I should not, ma’am. I should not."

The problems with the lift began in March 2024, when the equipment started repeatedly breaking down and requiring repairs.

Then came what the family hoped would be a breakthrough.

In December 2025, the Illinois Department of Human Services approved $13,815 for a brand-new exterior lift. But months later, the new lift still has not been installed.

MobilityWorks, the company expected to complete the installation, has not yet submitted a permit application with the City of Chicago, according to city officials.

What they're saying:

In a statement, the city said a MobilityWorks representative believed they had communicated with a city employee in January regarding permits, but the individual was actually a private third party not affiliated with the Chicago Department of Buildings.

As a result, city officials say no permits were ever requested.

The city also says records show MobilityWorks was informed in March about the steps required to submit a permit application. However, officials say no application has been filed, meaning the department cannot review or approve the project.

"Why can’t people be transparent with me as to why they’re not doing their job?" Reed asked.

The letter from the state says the equipment must be purchased and delivered before June 30th or the funding could expire.

What's next:

For Cecilia Reed, the issue goes far beyond paperwork and permits.

After a lifetime spent caring for her son, she says she is not asking for special treatment. She’s asking for safe access to the outside world.

"I’ll die for him," she said. "And I shouldn’t have to beg and plead to get help."

We are still waiting to hear back from MobilityWorks regarding this story.

Washington HeightsNews