Media Credit: Peter Franklin Lori Carbajal reacts as Paul Saustrup raises Peanut, 6, who suffers from shaken baby syndrome, on his new wheelchair outside her house in Austin Wednesday afternoon. The van and wheelchair were donated to the family after a hit-and-run driver totaled Carbajal's van along with her son's previous wheelchair.

It took a shared misfortune to introduce Lori Carbajal to Barbara Andrews, but on Wednesday, the women from separate sides of the United States turned their tragedies into hope.

With the help of a few generous people around the country, Andrews and the Brain Injury Association of Texas presented Carbajal with a wheelchair, van, car seat and $4,000 to benefit her 6-year-old son who suffers from shaken baby syndrome.

When Carbajal's son, Daniel, whom she refers to as "Peanut," was less than four months old, his father shook and beat him, inducing permanent brain damage and leaving him with the mentality of a 6-month-old. His father is in jail, serving a 99-year sentence.

Caring for Peanut became more difficult in early November when an unknown hit-and-run driver totaled Carbajal's van, crushing Peanut's $8,000 wheelchair in the process. The family has been living off the $625 a month Peanut receives in benefits.

"It's a struggle to get him anywhere," Carbajal said. "Peanut suffers from blindness, he has seizures and developmental problems, and he can't do anything on his own. The chair is his livelihood. He even has a special chair to help him bathe."

Since the accident, his mother has carried her 40-pound boy to all his appointments, in and out of bed, and anywhere else he needs to go.

"He's not a peanut anymore," said Carbajal, as she shifted her son's weight to her hip, wrapping his blanket tighter.

Carbajal has worked with the Brain Injury Association for the past few years while advocating for the passage of a bill that now requires maternity and delivery centers to inform expecting parents of the dangers associated with shaken baby syndrome.

"It is a rare and remarkable individual who can endure such a personal, human tragedy and then have the grace and bravery to take action so other babies can be safe," said Eric Makowski, the associaton's president.

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