Wheelchair van stolen from widowed mother of 6 found by Raleigh police

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A widowed mother of six children said that the van her family relies on has been found by police.

When Shannon Dingle stepped outside her home Tuesday morning, she found someone had stolen her white custom van -- the only way her 12-year-old daughter Zoe could get around.

"We have had more than our share of tragedy and heartbreak, and so a vehicle might not seem like a huge thing, but it is huge for us," Dingle told ABC11.

The mother of six lost her husband in a freak accident in 2019, and had to reach out for help from the ABC11 Troubleshooter in 2016 when she struggled to get a modified van for Zoe. A generous ABC11 viewer helped make it happen.

The van that was stolen this week is a newer model, but it was also custom-fitted for Zoe. The Dingles faced a months-long uphill battle to get this van as well, trying to get funding approved and get the right fit special ordered for Zoe.

"When we don't have the van, Zoe, my littlest, can't go anywhere. She is at home and limited to the walls of our home, the streets of our neighborhood," Dingle said.

Most of her kids are on break from school right now, but they would've had to miss class Tuesday if that wasn't the case.

"It is super noticeable. It's not only a wheelchair van, but it has a "Princess on Board" with a little girl in a wheelchair sticker on the side of it and other stickers on the back that are identifiable. We just want our van back," Dingle told ABC11.