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Crowdfunding Campaign Started To Help Elderly Stockton Mom Replace Stolen Van

STOCKTON (CBS13) — An elderly Stockton mother, who cares for her disabled son, had her only vehicle stolen from her home last week.

Gail Bedell, 77, said she was absolutely touched when her friends put together a GoFundMe account to get her old van new tires that she desperately needed, but soon after getting the tires, her van was stolen from her own carport.

"Who would want a 21 year-old car?" said a surprised Bedell.

Bedell said she had more important things to worry about than the security of her old van that had a missing hubcap, chipping paint, and in need of a water pump.

"I'm just really surprised they got as far as they got with it," said Bedell. "It must have been boiling over all the way down I-5."

The 1993 Plymouth Voyager minivan, however, was all Bedell had to get her son. Monday is his 50th birthday. James Ford has cerebral palsy and his mother, Bedell, takes care of him when he's not at his group home. Every day, she would pick him up in the old minivan.

"You know, I have wonderful friends, but after awhile he has three doctor's appointments a week," said Bedell. "I take him to doctors' visits and his blood tests."

Bedell is also fighting ovarian cancer for the second time and needs transportation for her appointments and grocery shopping.

Thieves stole Bedell's minivan last Monday night from her gated apartment complex in Central Stockton. Two days later, police found it off of McCould River Road in Southwest Stockton. Bedell had insurance, but only the Blue Book Value of the minivan. Since the van was stripped and totalled, Bedell doesn't get a cent for it.

"I always thought of her as a reflection of me," Bedell said of the minivan. "She needs some new parts. She needed some stuff, but she kept going."

Her friends set up a new GoFundMe Account for Bedell. This one is now called "Gail Needs A New Ride." Friends are trying to raise $6,000 to buy a new minivan for Bedell. The link to the GoFundMe account is : http://www.gofundme.com/e19prc

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