WINONA LAKE — A strong turnout of residents and law enforcement helped kick off a fundraiser for a Jefferson Elementary student who needs a new wheelchair.

Israel, 12, was born with Spina Bifida in Bulgaria and placed in an orphanage where he had very limited contact and or development.

He was adopted five years ago by a Winona Lake couple, Darren and Stacey Gagnon.

Rachel Jensen, a special education teacher at Jefferson, has worked with Israel over the years, and organized the benefit through the school's Happy Beans money maker program run by students.

The school saw a large turnout Friday morning that attracted people from the community, school staff, a large contingent of police officers and TV crews from Fort Wayne and South Bend.

Jensen said Friday morning she's confident the week-long fundraiser (and other efforts) can meet and exceed the $6,000 needed to buy a new wheelchair.

"I'm pretty optimistic that we'll be able to raise the $6,000 because of our supportive community and just so many people that are willing and really want to truly bless Israel," she said.

"If we raise more than the $6,000, we'll work toward buying him a bike that he can utilize and roam around the community with," she said.

Jenson is one of many who are enamored with his resilience and endless smiles.

"He means the world to me," she said.

Numerous staff, including teachers have worked closely with him since he was a second-grader, she said.

"He has a relationship with all of them and they've all poured into him in significant ways to allow for him to be where he is today," she said.

His outlook is contagious.

"He exudes joy. For a boy who has gone through the amount of things he's gone through in his lifetime, for him to be so joyful — just truly —  is a miracle in my mind," she said.

Lake City Bank has opened up an account and Jensen said a gofundme account will be established in the next day or so.

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WINONA LAKE — Residents in Winona Lake are rallying behind a 12-year-old boy who suffers from Spina Bifida and is facing major surgery in March that will necessitate a bigger wheelchair to accommodate his needs.

Israel Gagnon was placed in a Bulgarian orphanage at birth and had little human contact for nearly five years other than receiving diaper changes and being fed a liquid diet, according to his adoptive mother, Stacey Gagnon.

She said her paraplegic son spent years essentially tied up in a crib and did not know how to eat solid foods or talk until after they adopted him at the age of about five.

While he’s made incredible strides after being adopted (and is now very conversive in English), he continues to face health issues. 

One of his kidneys and a bladder have failed, and in March, those organs will be removed and he’ll shift from using a catheter to using a colostomy bag and urostomy bag that will hold feces and urine.

The recovery is expected to be lengthy but will be made easier by having a larger, lightweight wheel chair, which the family cannot afford and insurance will not cover.

Cost of the wheelchair is about $6,000, Stacey said.

With that in mind, Israel’s special education teacher at Jefferson Elementary, Rachel Jensen, has organized a fundraiser through the school’s existing Happy Beans coffee sales program.

Beginning Friday, sales from the school's "Happy Beans" coffee program will go toward the cost of the wheel chair.

Friday's kick-off event will be from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m.

That fundraiser will continue through next week. Times will be Monday, 10 to 10:45 a.m.; Tuesday through Feb. 15, 9:15 to 10 a.m.; and Friday, Feb. 16, 8:45 to 10 a.m.

Also, anyone wanting to donate can make a contribution to an account for Israel set up at Lake City Bank.

Winona Lake has certified Israel as a junior police officer and he enjoys wearing his uniform on weekends and handing out tickets in his neighborhood, Stacey said.

He's also grown close to Sergeant Joe Bumbaugh who recently visited him in Indianapolis during difficult episode with sepis, which was caused by an infection due to the use of a catheter.

Stacey and Darren Gagnon have seven children, including five who are adopted.

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