Wheelchair van makeover, donation for 5-year-old Palm Desert girl

Once upon a time a wheelchair accessible taxi van drove 300,000 miles around the Coachella Valley in yellow. However, it transformed this month to fit a Palm Desert princess.

Back in April we told you about Shelby Huerta. She was born with a Chromosome 6-Q deletion and is confined to a wheelchair. Shelby’s family struggled getting her to and from medical appointments.

Yellow Cab of the Desert saw the story during our newscast and donated the van to Shelby’s family, but it needed a change. Prestige Auto Body shop in Palm Desert then donated a makeover paint job and delivered the van to the family.

“Shelby’s van is complete and pink. We love it and are completely grateful for it, super happy to have it and excited to have it,” said Victoria Garcia, Shelby’s mother.

“I’m so excited we were able to do this for her. It’s taken about a month, but we were lucky to get in contact with Prestige Auto Body,” said Michal Brock, general manager of Yellow Cab of the Desert.

Wearing pink sandals in her pink wheelchair, Shelby and her family celebrated her fifth birthday in style in the pink pearl van.

“We weren’t expecting it to get painted. Thank you to Prestige,” said Garcia.

“We were delighted to be able to help,” said Alma Fernandez from Prestige Auto Body. “Every child should be able to travel where they need to go with ease and not have to struggle getting in and out.”

Shelby’s family needed a vehicle with enough space for her to remain in her wheelchair and for her two sisters and parents to fit.

“It just provides so much room for the family. They were crowded in a small little vehicle with three little girls. Now they can stretch out and enjoy themselves,” said Brock.

“I wish Shelby can thank them because it’s all for her. Everything they’ve done is for Shelby. To help life be easier for her and to make doctors appointments, therapy easier for her,” said Garcia.

You might spot Shelby’s family driving around town in pink. If you do, say hi!