PORTLAND, Ore. — Instead of two legs, Lauren Sylvis gets around on two wheels. She was paralyzed from the waist down in a car crash in 1980. Sylvis uses a wheelchair, and she's always on the move.
"I'm independent," Sylvis said. "I do have a great life."
Sylvis is a cashier at New Seasons Market, spends her free time as a DJ and is actively involved in the LGBTQ community. She relies on a van, outfitted with equipment that enables her to drive herself around the city. On Sunday morning, the van was stolen from her driveway in Southeast Portland.
"Hearing from my caregiver, when she showed up at my house, that my van was not in my driveway was my worst nightmare," Sylvis said. "I literally have had these thoughts of, 'what if I get up and my van is gone?'"
Sylvis quickly posted photos of the van to Facebook and filed a report with Portland police.
"When I talked to them on the phone, they said they have a pretty good recovery rate for finding people's vehicles," she said.
Portland police said 81% of stolen vehicles are recovered within 30 days. Car thefts have dropped dramatically in the past few months. In March 2023, 747 cars were reported stolen in Portland. That number decreased to 442 in March of 2024, police said.
While it's a small consolation her van might be found, Sylvis' life is on hold until then.
"I have no idea what I’m going to do without my van," Sylvis said.
One of her biggest concerns is how to replace the equipment inside the van if she's unable to get it back. She's unsure if insurance will cover the costs. Sylvis said she paid $20,000 for the specialty hardware over 25 years ago.
"I have hand controls, I have the super arm lift, the transfer seat and automatic doors," she said.
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