Green Meadow teachers and staff with 4th grade student Killian Polarolo and Senator Jake Ashby at a press conference in the Genet Elementary School lobby on Friday, March 14.
The East Greenbush Central School District hosted a press conference on Friday afternoon in the lobby of Genet Elementary School to support one of its families. Green Meadow 4th grader Killian Polarolo uses a motorized wheelchair, and last summer, he went months with a broken leg rest on the wheelchair. His mother Chantel Polarolo, who works at Columbia High School as a teaching assistant, tried over and over to get the wheelchair fixed but she was met with unanswered phone calls and no solutions. All the while, it affected Killian.
Chantel and Killian Polarolo at a press conference in the Genet Elementary School lobby on March 14, 2025.
“We lost months of mobility, independence, and precious time with our child,” said Mrs. Polarolo.
“For children like Killian, the loss of mobility isn’t just a physical challenge, it’s a mental and emotional one, too,” she said. “The depression, anxiety and frustration that arises from being stuck, immobile and helpless are devastating.”
In September, Mrs. Polarolo contacted Killian’s physical therapist at school for help. Dr. Kathryn Biel responded by reaching out to her colleagues and former students for spare parts, but they were not compatible with the wheelchair. Then she contacted Senator Jake Ashby’s office. The result from that inquiry is a bipartisan bill in the New York State Legislature named Killian’s Law. If passed, the law would expedite wheelchair repairs and require insurance companies to cover them.
A state legislative task force found that 76% of consumers regularly waited months for a wheelchair repair to be completed.
“Killian, his family and his advocates here at Genet Elementary detailing the challenges they’ve faced opened our eyes to a persistent, debilitating problem,” said Senator Ashby, who is co-sponsoring the bill. “Wheelchairs are an essential lifeline that keep our kids thriving in school, actualize full participation for adults in the workplace and keep hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers pursuing their dreams. I’m pleased to sponsor this bipartisan legislation in the Senate.”
Physical Therapist Kathryn Biel speaking at a press conference in the Genet Elementary School lobby on March 14, 2025.
Green Meadow teachers and staff attended the press event to support Killian and his family. Speakers included Superintendent Jeff Simons, who opened the press event, Senator Ashby, who described the proposed legislation and the importance of its passage, and Dr. Biel and Mrs. Polarolo.
“Killian’s Law will protect all wheelchair users across New York State. While it is listed as consumer protection, it is really a civil rights issue,” said Dr. Biel. “Failure to repair wheelchairs in a timely manner prevents those with disabilities from accessing their community. It’s discriminatory, and we cannot allow it to continue.”
View this post on Instagram