The Road Back to the Driver’s Seat

When Kevin Quill boards an I-RIDE vehicle, he’s not just heading to a doctor’s appointment or lunch with his family. For a little while, he’s returning to normal life.

After two serious falls, the 66-year-old Army veteran has been wheelchair-bound at a rehabilitation facility for the last year. Every day he works on building strength and regaining the independence he needs to return home to his wife, Mary. I-RIDE has become part of his path back, giving him a way to participate in life outside the facility.

Kevin’s goal is simple: “I want to sleep in my own bed,” he says.

But the work behind it is not easy. His back injuries and other health issues led him to the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center in Virginia Beach. Kevin is 70% disabled by Veterans Affairs standards and lives with mobility, hearing, and vision challenges.

At the facility, Kevin practices climbing stairs—one of the milestones he must reach before he can safely return home—and walking with a rollator. He also earned an adaptive license to drive a car with hand controls, though he does not yet have an adaptive vehicle of his own.

That determination has shaped much of Kevin’s life. The son of an NYPD homicide detective, he grew up on Staten Island and became an ROTC cadet in high school before joining the Army at 22. He worked in transportation terminal operations for seven years on active duty.

When his parents’ health declined, Kevin joined the reserves in New Jersey to care for them. Later, after moving to Virginia Beach for a civilian job with the Navy, he helped care for his father-in-law, building a ramp to make his home wheelchair accessible. Kevin found caregiving rewarding but understands its burdens. Now, he is working hard not to become dependent on caregivers himself.

He has already outlived both his parents, and he says he has so much more to do. Spending time with his family is at the top of that list. His three adult children all live close by, and Kevin is especially smitten with his two granddaughters, ages 5 and 1. One of his goals after rehab is to pick them up and bring them home for a sleepover with “Pop Pop.”

For now, I-RIDE helps him stay connected to the world beyond the rehab facility, a crucial part of his recovery. Kevin first became aware of the service when he spotted an I-RIDE vehicle at the Veterans Clinic on North Battlefield Boulevard. He began calling for rides and quickly learned to use the app to book trips. He describes the service as “dependable and reliable” and says all the drivers are courteous and friendly.

“I-RIDE gives me freedom,” Kevin says. The transportation service, free for any local senior age 60 and over, is one of many Senior Services programs that help our older neighbors remain independent and mobile as they age.

Kevin uses the service to meet up with family, go to lunch, or get to the doctor. On a hot afternoon in June, I-RIDE took him to El Azteca Mexican restaurant, a short drive from the facility. He greeted the host and servers by name and recognized several of the other patrons. For a little while, he was not a patient in rehab. He was a regular customer, a neighbor, a familiar face.

After a couple of hours of chips, salsa, and conversation, Kevin returned to the facility to get back to work. He’ll keep walking, climbing stairs, watching his diet, and pushing himself toward the day he can return home to Mary, sleep in his own bed, and play with his granddaughters.

Meanwhile, when he needs a taste of freedom, he’ll call I-RIDE.