The high-tech segments of seating and wheeled mobility get most of the headlines, I know. The electronics, the carbon fiber and titanium, the smart technology, the ever-more-nimble power bases and ever-more-versatile power seating certainly have their allure.
But in more than two decades of covering Complex Rehab Technology and mobility, I’ve learned that independence and freedom also hinge on seemingly smaller factors that are actually crucial.
Such was the power of the products made by DIESTCO Manufacturing Corp., owned and led by Dan Diestel, who passed away on Oct. 24 after a long illness. He was 66.
For more than 30 years, DIESTCO Manufacturing designed and produced mobility vehicle accessories: cup holders, cell phone holders, canopies, covers, storage bags for scooters and wheelchairs.
DIESTCO’s products were known for their high quality, durability, and designs that demonstrated deep knowledge of what consumers really need. The company’s saddlebags, for example, came in an array of sizes and could mount along the length of an armrest or at its end, as well as under the wheelchair, on a scooter’s tiller, or on the back of the vehicle’s seat. DIESTCO cup holders could securely hold up to a 32-oz. Gatorade bottle.
If you don’t think this sort of gear is important — even key — to a wheelchair or scooter rider’s independence, you haven’t seen DIESTCO’s booth at a typical Abilities Expo.
At these shows, I learned to say hello to Dan & Co. during booth setup, before attendees were let through the doors. Once the show began each day, the DIESTCO booth would be mobbed, with people crowding in 10 deep. Forget getting into the booth; you could barely get into the aisles surrounding it.
“We support local medical supply dealers and VAMC [Veterans Affairs Medical Centers],” DIESTCO always said on its website. “We do not sell directly to the public.” Because of that, many first-time Abilities Expo attendees didn’t know these accessories existed — that there were ways to safely and discreetly carry personal and medical gear, to take their own beverages along to stay hydrated, to protect themselves from sun or rain.
From DIESTCO’s popularity, I learned that leaving home with a mobility device requires foresight and planning. Being unable to carry urological supplies, for example, can be a deal breaker.
Dan and his company designed and manufactured products that solved the final part of the independence equation. Calling them accessories woefully shortchanges how important they are to mobility users.
DIESTCO Manufacturing will be closing down at the end of this month. Dan’s family has announced a memorial service on Nov. 16 at the CARD Center in Chico, California, where DIESTCO is based. His family has suggested that, in lieu of flowers, Dan’s friends and colleagues donate in his honor to Ian’s Ride, a nonprofit devoted to improving outdoor accessibility for people with mobility impairments; the American Cancer Society; or the Northern California Special Olympics.
I’ll remember Dan for his mischievous eyes and smile. For how he grew his hair long to donate to Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit that supports children experiencing hair loss due to medical conditions. For how he did so much to support the dignity, freedom, and everyday adventures of people with disabilities.
And for how he taught me that successful mobility takes a village of support — the high-tech devices, sure, but the just-right accessories as well.
Thank you, Dan. Farewell, friend.
