Motorized wheelchair stolen on veteran’s daily outing to grocery

A Sacramento man says his morning routine has not been the same since someone stole his motorized wheelchair from outside a market.

“I went in, came out, and it was gone,� Morris told Fox 40 on Monday.

A daily trip to the Arcade Market on Marysville Boulevard gave Morris a reason to get out of the house.

“Get up, make breakfast, watch TV. Nothing exciting,� Morris said.

It is a simple routine, but for Morris, accomplishing those tasks is complicated.

“Well, you can say that I’ve had a heart attack, I’ve got a hernia, I’ve had a bypass. I got ... hardening of the arteries. Old age,� Morris told Fox 40.

Morris can walk, but he can only make it a few feet before his legs start acting up. He describes the sensation as needles going through his legs. Since his motorized wheelchair was stolen, Morris has been using his backup wheelchair as a walker.

“Sit, walk, sit. I don’t get very far in it because the other part of the wheel is missing,� Morris said.

He’s relying on a wheelchair with a broken wheel for his mobility. In better times, Morris was on his feet, serving his country in Vietnam. He is a man of few words.

So few, he never told the grocery store about the theft. His wheelchair had a sticker, identifying him as a veteran.

He said he would be happy just to get another motorized wheelchair.

“Just one that’s electrical,� Morris said. “I don’t want a James Bond wheelchair.�