Larry Fritz

Larry Fritz spent his service years in the United States Air Force as a Staff Sergeant, working as an accountant and taking pride in doing his job well. But decades later, a severe back injury made mobility a daily struggle. Walking any distance became painful, and slowly, the world outside his home became harder to reach.

Before receiving his Pride Jazzy Power Chair, Larry often found himself confined to bed or limited to the few steps he could safely take around his house. He relied on furniture for stability and avoided open areas where there was nothing to catch himself. Going out wasn’t impossible, it was just unpredictable, tiring, and sometimes unsafe. Activities he enjoyed, like playing cards, eating out with friends, and going to church, began slipping further out of reach.

The power chair changed all of that immediately. Lightweight, easy to maneuver, and simple for his wife to lift into the car, it brought back the everyday freedom Larry had missed. He now plays bridge three times a week, directs games twice a week, and joins friends for dinner afterward. “I get out, I see friends,” he said. “We go out to eat. It’s nice being part of things again.”

One of the biggest advantages of the new chair is how manageable it is. After years of using a heavier chair that required special lifts and equipment, this model is made mostly of carbon fiber which is light enough for his wife to load without strain. That difference opened doors he didn’t expect. He and his wife are especially excited knowing the new chair will make it easier for him to move around during their upcoming cruises.

The chair's impact has shown up in small ways that have been built into something meaningful. Maneuvering through crowded restaurants became easy again. Moving from one table to the next at bridge didn’t require help. And for the first time in a long time, Larry didn’t have to worry about how far he could walk before needing to stop. As he put it simply: “It gives me mobility, which gives me freedom.”

Larry uses his chair everywhere from to church, to dinner, to card games, and on day-to-day errands. Instead of feeling limited or hesitant, he feels steady, supported, and able to participate in the world around him.“I might be able to go a hundred yards,” he said, “and then I need something.” Now, he has that “something” with him wherever he goes.

For Larry, the Pride Jazzy power chair didn’t change who he is, it simply returned the parts of life he missed most. It brought back community, conversation, laughter, and the comfort of being able to show up wherever he wants to be.

And in Larry’s own words, the impact can be summed up in one line:

“It gives me mobility, which gives me freedom.”