#MollysKids: Meet Adarien Torrence

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - “We go through so much,” wrote April Morgan. “We fight. It’s a hard road. I just feel like we need to be heard.”

April’s son, Adarien Torrence, from Lincolnton, is the newest one of our amazing #MollysKids.

“The system is broken,” April said. “My son is almost 11 years old. He has a brain malformation, called Lissencephaly. It causes all his developmental delays and intractable epilepsy. He was also diagnosed with Crohn’s disease two years ago. He now receives two infusions a month at Levine Children’s hospital... one for the Crohn’s disease and the other to fight an immune deficiency. It’s a lot. He’s amazing, but we have a lot on our plates.”

Adarien is also wheelchair dependent. Which means, April says, she transfers her son -- who’s 67 pounds -- from the chair into their family van. She also then picks up his chair and puts it into the van. She does this every time they have to go anywhere.

“It’s a struggle,” she said. “A year ago I reached out to a program we’re a part of asking for a vehicle modification. We use this program for his medical expenses. I talked with my case manager. I told them the van I found and would be purchasing. I was given the OK, and they said that particular van would be able to be modified, and they do modifications.”

April then took their family savings and says she put $17,000 down on that exact van, a 2019 Honda Odyssey.

A year later, she was still waiting for the program to approve the new waiver.

Then, recently, stunningly, she says this program that said they could modify the van told her since a new group took over their program, the vehicle can no longer be modified at their expense.

“I’m left with a son who still needs this van modified for numerous appointments, and no one who cares,” she says. “I put $17k down on a vehicle that serves us no good. My back is killing me, as I continue to lift my son in-and-out the van. The system has failed us. All I now keep getting told is, ‘Sorry we can’t help you.’”

I don’t know what writing about this will do. I do know April wrote years ago about her son, and know Adarien has lived with uphill medical battles for a long time. It also sounds like April is doing what she can, and worries about not just her family but others who might be in the same position.

“I’m sure we’re not the only family to fall through the cracks,” she said. “I don’t even know how to start holding big groups accountable. We can’t afford lawyers and at the end of the day, we just need a van to help him with his wheelchair. He’s almost 11 and heavier than when he was a little boy.”

April, I’m not sure of the answer but I do know #MollysKids tells the Good, the Bad, and Always Real. Worthwhile to put this story of your son and your journey out there, and just see where it goes.

Welcome, Adarien. Few more pictures (one in the van they have) below.