Miracle Wheels: The Story of a Mission to Bring Mobility to the World

by Don Schoendorfer, R.C. George (With)

Overview

Dr. Don Schoendorfer spent many years pursuing his vision of success, but one trip to Africa changed his life forever. The heartbreaking sights he witnessed on the streets of Morocco sent him on an unexpected path of faith, despair, and, ultimately, newfound purpose.

Miracle Wheels is the compelling account of Don's journey, from his humble beginnings in the Midwest to his innovative work in the biomedical field, culminating in the founding of a nonprofit organization that has served millions around the world. Laced with humor while tempered by life's sobering realities, including family hardships, Don's story leads you on an emotional exploration that spans the globe and intersects with world leaders as he strives to overcome challenges and serve some of the most vulnerable among us: people living with disabilities in developing countries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637554579
Publisher:	Mascot Books
Publication date:	12/06/2022
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

Dr. Don Schoendorfer is a biomedical engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, and humanitarian who lives in Santa Ana, California. Armed with an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and a PhD in mechanical engineering from MIT, Don spent nearly twenty-five years in the medical device industry, designing cutting-edge innovations resulting in more than sixty patents to his name.

After a life-changing encounter overseas, and with a strong sense of God's calling, Don founded Free Wheelchair Mission and has made it his mission to address the problem of mobility around the world, where 75 million people need wheelchairs but are unable to get one on their own. The innovative, cost-efficient line of wheelchairs that he developed and gave away for free—the "Miracle Wheels"—has transformed the lives of millions of people with disabilities.

Don's humanitarian work has garnered numerous awards and accolades, including ones from The White House, the United States House of Representatives, and The White House Congressional Medal of Honor Society. When he is not busy tinkering with his inventions, Don enjoys spending time with his three daughters, two amazing granddaughters, and a Siberian Husky named Tolbi.

Table of Contents

Foreword 1

Prologue 7

1 Speed 15

2 Blueprints 23

3 Style 29

4 The Newspaper 35

5 Storms 43

6 Zigzag 51

7 Laurie 61

8 Made It 65

9 Easy Rider 69

10 Patients and Patents 77

11 Blood and Sweat 85

12 Surrender 89

13 The Fool's Game 95

14 It's Over 103

15 Prototype 107

16 Then There Were Four 117

17 The Trip 123

18 Emmanuel 129

19 Lotus Blossom and Indra 139

20 Rock Bottom 149

21 Never Enough 157

22 Nonprofit For Dummies 165

23 The King of Ghana 173

24 Overwhelming Numbers 177

25 The Oval Office 183

26 Curse 189

27 Reflections 195

28 Flor 203

Afterword 211

How to Get Involved 217

Discussion Questions 221

Acknowledgments 225

About the Author 229

Editorial Reviews

"Don devotes himself to serving those around the world, many of whom would have never been able to venture out of a dark room. You will be inspired as you turn the pages of the riveting story of Don's life and the mission of Free Wheelchair Mission."

-ERIC GEIGER, senior pastor, Mariners Church



"Is it really possible for one person to change the world? We all hear about the prominent billionaires who started huge businesses, but there are a few remarkable people with no desire for personal wealth, who saw a simple need and managed to find a way to transform the lives of millions."

-RICHARD STEARNS, president emeritus of World Vision US, author of The Hole in Our Gospel and Lead Like It Matters to God

"Dr. Schoendorfer's story tells how providence led one man from humble beginnings through an MIT education and biomedical engineering research to a deep Christian faith and a mission that is transforming the lives of the poorest worldwide."

-IAN HUTCHINSON, PhD, MIT professor of nuclear science and engineering, and author of Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?

From the Publisher