Paralyzed Veteran from Lincoln Park Grateful for Donation of Wheelchair Accessible Van

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (WJBK) - His father and grandfather were both Marines, so he had to be a Marine, too. Jason Hampton of Lincoln Park did two tours in Iraq as a sergeant with the U.S. Marines.

Jason and his family were attending a wedding reception in June on Harsens Island. It was hot. Some people went outside for a swim, and Hampton jumped into the water.

"When I hit, it was instant. I remember I felt a shock through my body," said Jason Hampton.

His wife looked on in horror. Her husband did not resurface and was blue when he was pulled out. He was not breathing and needed CPR.

"My uncle that got married that day, he's a volunteer firefighter, and I also had some paramedics that were there at the wedding that saved my life," Jason Hampton explained.

"It was just horrible," said Jenny Hampton. "I can't even explain. The whole family was there, the kids. I was pregnant. I mean, it was just horrible."

Jason's life was saved, but he was paralyzed from the waist down. However, life goes on. His third child, also named Jason, was born just six weeks ago. The family had new needs, such as a van capable of lifting Jason's wheelchair.

A donor with a van saw Jason's story on FOX 2. She gave the family her GMC conversion van.

Magaly Flores had a wheelchair ramp installed in her van for her husband, Juan. He was a Detroit Police officer out of the 6th Precinct paralyzed in an off-duty crash. Officer Juan Flores died two years ago.

"I saw it on TV at ten o'clock at night," said Flores. "I said, 'That's it. That's the one that's going to take it.'"

Flores donated her late husband's van to Jason, Jenny and the kids, and to help celebrate, many friends turned out for a spaghetti dinner benefit at the Lincoln Park VFW Post 552.

"With the van, I can go from my chair, roll onto the ramp, it puts me into the van and I can go anywhere and try to be as normal as possible," Jason Hampton said.

Jason and Jenny say they're touched and grateful and want to thank everyone who came up with offers to help.