Other people might not consider Bronwyn Berg and Hal Bennett lucky.

Berg and Bennett would disagree.

They consider themselves lucky to be able to open an inclusive new business in a new town, providing accessible service to people who need it. They are lucky to have found each other.

And they are lucky to have once needed the same wheelchair.

Berg, 50 and Bennett, 48, both had life-changing experiences. Berg sustained a brain injury six years ago that resulted in a seizure, movement and balance disorder. Bennett underwent a kidney transplant six years ago and leg amputations a year later due to infections.

Berg had been studying creative writing at the UBC campus in Kelowna. Bennett was just out of hospital and living in Kamloops. They had each been wheelchair shopping and fell in love with the same chair. It can take a long time for a custom-fit wheelchair to arrive, so the company allowed them to share the chair as a loaner.

sa国际传媒淢y publishing career was just taking off, but I was unable to give literary readings without the loaner chair, which a mysterious guy in Kamloops got sa国际传媒榮tealing,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� noted Berg.

When they met for the first time, they recognized each other through the wheelchair he was sa国际传媒渟tealing.sa国际传媒�

Bennett was instantly interested in Berg. She was interested in remaining single. They claim it took Berg four months to give him her phone number, though they talked on Facebook Messenger regularly.

sa国际传媒淲e were going through the same thing at the time, adjusting to living in a world not designed for us. It was a very bonding experience,sa国际传媒� Berg said. sa国际传媒淎ll went from there, we became best friends and then we became a couple.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 a breath of fresh air, thatsa国际传媒檚 for sure,sa国际传媒� said Bennett. sa国际传媒淵ou know when you meet someone theresa国际传媒檚 more here.sa国际传媒�

They lived together for about a year in Kelowna before coming to Chemainus to launch the Clover (as in sa国际传媒榝our-leaf clover,sa国际传媒� get it) Clothing Co. They opened the store sa国际传媒� which also includes some new clothing sa国际传媒� at the Chemainus Public Market on Aug. 1, securing one of the last two available market spaces.

sa国际传媒淲ho opens a store during a pandemic?sa国际传媒� Berg queried. sa国际传媒淲e do. I definitely felt like Chemainus needed a consignment store.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淧eople love to go treasure hunting so theresa国际传媒檚 a bit of that as well. Wesa国际传媒檝e been talking about doing a consignment shop for years. It wasnsa国际传媒檛 the right timing and I was basically housebound for five years.sa国际传媒�

They stumbled upon the opportunity almost by accident, driving around Vancouver Island and being impressed by the accessibility of Chemainus.

sa国际传媒淲hy are there ramps everywhere?sa国际传媒� Berg said with delight. sa国际传媒淲e felt like we were in Disneyland. Aside from a few stores, everythingsa国际传媒檚 accessible.sa国际传媒�

And theresa国际传媒檚 also the aspect of turning up something special for shoppers.

sa国际传媒淎 lot of disabled people struggle financially,sa国际传媒� Berg indicated. sa国际传媒淎nd yet many consignment stores arensa国际传媒檛 wheelchair accessible. We are passionate about accessibility. We wouldnsa国际传媒檛 do it unless we could have a location that was inclusive to everyone. The Chemainus Public Market was a unique opportunity. They already had a flat entrance, automatic door openers and an accessible bathroom. All that we added was a wheelchair accessible change room.

Theysa国际传媒檝e been through a lot, but finding each other has helped endure the difficult days and prepare them for this new chapter.

sa国际传媒淚t was very life-altering,sa国际传媒� Berg said of her injury. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 lots of grieving that needs to be done, but then you get to a point of acceptance. People see the wheelchair and feel sad. Isa国际传媒檓 not the least bit sad about the wheelchair. Before I had the wheelchair I was crawling around and gripping walls.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 definitely a survivor,sa国际传媒� she added. sa国际传媒淗al and I donsa国际传媒檛 feel bad about our lives. We definitely have challenges. I cansa国际传媒檛 work every day and had to give up my academic pursuits and career as a writer.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e extremely lucky to have found each other. It can be a very isolating life. To go through disability with a partner is amazing. Our disabilities are different. Wesa国际传媒檙e able to care for each other without it ever being a burden. We never treat each other like wesa国际传媒檙e a burden.sa国际传媒�

Bennett was a Type 1 diabetic from the age of three. Complications from the diabetes eventually killed his kidneys. He went on dialysis 11 years ago and eventually had the transplant. The amputations of his legs below both knees were required five years ago.

He still uses a wheelchair as well, but the incredible improvements made over the years can be seen in his prosthetics, with ease of movement and different components used in their construction like carbon fibre.

sa国际传媒淢y attitude tends to be fairly productive,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 hate the word sa国际传媒榩ositive.sa国际传媒� I like to see the wonder in things and live for the moment. If Isa国际传媒檓 not at the store, Isa国际传媒檓 on the slopes.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淲e feel lucky to have found a town that has been so accessible, a business where we can offer an inclusive experience,sa国际传媒� Berg said. sa国际传媒淎nd wesa国际传媒檙e lucky to have found each other.sa国际传媒�

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