Corbin residents show their Christmas spirit, donate van to needy family

The miracle of Christmas came just a little earlier than expected for Anna Litteral and her daughter Michelle Brock.
Brock, who is in the advanced stages of Huntington’s Disease, has lost almost total control of her ability to control her body and is confined to a wheelchair. Litteral, Brock’s only caregiver, has trouble taking her daughter anywhere in a normal vehicle.
Friends and family members clogged a side street behind First Baptist Church of Corbin Sunday afternoon for a holiday surprise – a handicap-accessible 2005 Toyota Sienna van.
“Without help from someone else, Anna just cannot lift her up any more,” said Jody Johnson, a friend of Litteral’s and a member of the church. “God wanted this van to be here today and that’s why it is here.”
Johnson along with Sher Davis, both local Mary Kay Cosmetic representatives, circulated a letter via email on Nov. 2 attempting to raise $30,000 to purchase the van. At last tally, they’d raised nearly $50,000 with donations coming in from 14 different states.
Over 100 people stood waiting for Litteral and Brock Sunday. Litteral’s son told her they were going to look at vans at a nearby car lot. The surprise could not have been planned more cunningly.
“He turned down this way and I thought, where’s he going?,” Litteral said. “When I saw this crowd of people down here, I knew something was going on … I didn’t know what we were getting into.”
The beige colored van sat waiting for Litteral and her daughter, topped with a bow and surrounding by people singing and clapping.
“I just can’t believe it,” Litteral said. “We are praying that everyone gets a hundred fold back what they gave. This is over and above anything I ever thought would happen to me.”
Litteral said caring for her daughter has been a labor of love the last few years. Her son-in-law, Dr. Matt McCollough, said Huntington’s disease is a genetic neurological disorder that usually first becomes symptomatic in adults between the ages of 30 and 50. Those afflicted with the disease slowly begin losing control of their ability to walk and function normally. Brock was diagnosed with the disease 15 years ago.
“This is absolutely incredible for her,” McCollough said. “They are going to be able to get around and do some things. It’s getting difficult for Anna by herself to take care of her. Just being able to easily get in and out of the car will enable them to go visit people, go to church and restaurants and things like that … it’s really difficult for her to even leave the house anymore.”
There is no cure for Huntington’s Disease, though there are some treatments for early symptoms.
The van is equipped with a motorized ramp and ample room for a wheelchair to be secured in the center.
Any extra money raised from the effort will be used to help pay for Brock’s medical expenses.