Here at Baldwin Village, it's living as usual for Lamont Warren as he washes the daily dose of dishes. But for this 22 year old, being able to get close enough to the sink is something he's never been able to do, until now. “I come and roll under the sink and do the dishes without getting my pants wet,” says Warren in his wheelchair in front of the kitchen sink. Two and half years ago, during a pickup game of football with some friends, Lamont's life changed forever. "It was a freak accident. I came down the wrong way, came down head first and broke my neck," says Warren. Lamont was paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors told him there was a 50-50 chance he'd never walk again. But just 6 months later he stood up for the first time. "Doctors gave me the opportunity if you want to get back moving, keep motivating yourself and have the motivation to do what you need to do and get back where you need to be," says Warren. It was that motivation that got Lamont into Baldwin Village; a fully accessible living community built from the ground up, with people with disabilities in mind. From wider doors, to lower countertops, even a fully accessible bathroom. A difficult task like opening a closet door for those with limited hand strength is now made simple with curtains. "I find something new I'm doing around the house and say, wow, this is easier,” says Warren. For Lamont, having an accessible home--dirty dishes and all--is just the next step in his road to recovery. “I'm happy. It's accessible and I'm loving it! I can just continue on with my progress and live my life everyday.”
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