A woman from British Columbia who suffers from a neurological disorder expressed her relief at the return of her mobility device, which was left in a Toronto ride-hailing driver’s car in October and not returned until recently. Bronwyn Berg, along with her son and Lyft, had made multiple attempts to retrieve the $8,000-SmartDrive device, which powers her wheelchair, to no avail.
The SmartDrive device, an electronic wheel that enhances mobility for wheelchair users, is crucial for Berg to navigate hilly and rough terrains. Being without it had confined the 55-year-old to her home for months, causing significant challenges in her daily life.
Despite the difficulties encountered during the three-month ordeal, Berg expressed her joy at having the device back but also mentioned feeling worn out by the entire process. Due to her disability and financial constraints, Berg could not afford to replace the SmartDrive wheel.
After being contacted by CBC Toronto, the Lyft driver eventually returned the device to Berg’s son in Toronto via FedEx. However, the driver could not provide a satisfactory explanation for keeping the device for such a long period since Berg’s accidental abandonment of it in his car trunk in October.
Berg, who has been using a wheelchair for about nine years due to her neurological disorder and seizures, recalled the incident occurring during her visit to Toronto to spend time with her son over the Thanksgiving weekend. The device went missing after she took a Lyft ride from her son’s apartment to Toronto Pearson Airport and later realized her SmartDrive was left behind.
Despite initial attempts to retrieve the device by paying the driver $30, communication with the driver ceased, leaving the Bergs and Lyft in a difficult situation. Lyft’s intervention, including deactivating the driver and providing a prepaid FedEx label for the return, helped facilitate the device’s eventual retrieval.
Following the device’s return, Magnus, Berg’s son, expressed his satisfaction but also called for changes in company policies to ensure better cooperation in similar situations involving missing essential medical equipment. The incident has raised concerns about the handling of such cases, with Magnus emphasizing the critical nature of the lost item compared to ordinary belongings.
Efforts to seek updates from the Toronto Police Service regarding the investigation into the incident have been ongoing, with Magnus highlighting the need for improved measures to address similar situations in the future.