More recently, KVB outfitted a Hummer H2 for a woman in her 20s who lost the use of her legs when a truck collided with her smaller car.

She loves her Hummer with the Elaine Anne Lift and told Elizabeth: "I'm one of the biggest things on the road. Nothing's going to hit me now."

There's no putting a price on that kind of confidence.

With a light breeze creating swirls of dust in the drive, the Wolfes met with us and demonstrated the Elaine Anne Lift while Elaine, who works as a portrait artist when she's not representing KB at trade shows and raising her family, described how her life changed forever with that invention.

Q: Were you a licensed driver before your accident?

A: Yes, but they take your licence away when you break your neck. The licence I have now says I need to use hand controls. It's not as if I'm going to try to drive without them.

Q: From the prototypical Blazer, how did KVB grow into a company known around the world?

A: It started after dad developed this lift for me. I was living in residence at Carleton studying Mass Communications. When other disabled people saw it, they immediately asked: 'Where did you get it from? I want one, too.' So many people approached him and asked: 'Please, please make me one.'

Q: Besides the actual lift, was there any other retrofit needed to ensure safe, comfortable driving?

A: Dad developed a back support and a headrest because, driving from a wheelchair, there's no support for your upper back. If I'm in a collision, crash tests show that I'd break my back. From the headrest, I can activate the windshield wipers by hitting a switch with my head.

Q: This is such a specialty item. How do you advertise it?

A: Our main method is word-of-mouth advertising, but we sometimes place ads in magazines and we do trade shows for the disabled, like the one in Georgia, and we do the Toronto show and People in Motion. We've been doing this for 12 years.

Q: You've no doubt considered what your life would have been like without your father's invention. Does this give you pause?

A: Often. With this vehicle, I can be spontaneous in going where I want, when I want, so it means that I am independent. It's simply heaven.

Ottawa Citizen