Colorado Springs woman named Ms. Wheelchair Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- This weekend, Rachel Frey was crowned as Ms. Wheelchair Colorado. She wants to help bring awareness to the barriers the disabled community faces. She says it's an honor to hold the title.

"It was amazing. You go through an injury like this and you find things that make you feel like I’m validated, my life has purpose, and this was one of those days," said Frey

It was four years ago that Rachel's life changed. She was involved in a crash on Interstate 25 while traveling southbound.

"I woke up seven weeks later from a coma. My car flipped four and half times, and I was left in the median," said Frey.

The accident put her in her wheelchair, but she says it changed her perspective on life.

"It sat me down. It gave me patience, and I got to see life in a whole different life than I never had," said Frey.

Now she wants to raise awareness of the struggles the wheelchair community faces when it comes to finding housing and experiencing homelessness.

"I had a commercial and residential cleaning company to now you don’t really know what to do and there isn’t a lot that you can do, and then covid hit," said Frey.

Frey says the housing options are limited for the disabled, especially when it comes to finding a place she can stay with her kids.

"I have this platform. I want to bring the awareness to it, that we need help, I’m a native, born and raised here, I need help. I had a tragic event happen on I-25 and now I’m left housed up, doubled up in a house where I can’t afford rent because I don't have an income, and it shouldn’t force me into a nursing home and split up my family because of it," said Frey.

With her crown, Frey will get to meet Gov. Jared Polis. Her duties will include advocation, starting a blog, and visiting organizations in the community.

She'll go to the national pageant for Ms. Wheelchair America in August.