LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A 16-year-old boy with cystic fibrosis is without the Make-A-Wish e-bike that helped him feel “like a normal kid” after it was stolen while he was getting food at McDonald’s, according to his family.
Jaiden Rector was born with cystic fibrosis, a disease that causes damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs. He said his diagnosis means he runs out of breath quicker, gets sick easier, and follows a daily routine of medications and treatments, including breathing treatments and a vibrating vest used to clear mucus from his lungs.
“It’s pretty hard taking pills every day, breathing treatments,” Jaiden said.
His mother, Ashley, said Make-A-Wish gave Jaiden an e-bike after he requested one. Jaiden said he wanted the bike so he could keep up with friends and do everyday activities.
“Once I tried my friend’s bike, I was like, ‘whoa, this is pretty cool,’” he said.
The e-bike arrived in December, and Ashley said it gave him more independence and the ability to spend time with friends without overexerting himself.
“This gave him the freedom to just be a kid again and hang out with his friends; he got to keep up because he didn’t have to pedal so much,” Ashley said.
Ashley said Jaiden left home the evening of March 24 to get dinner from a McDonald’s down the street, something he said he had been doing for months since the e-bike arrived.
Jaiden said he was ordering in the drive-thru when employees stopped him.
He said he then decided to go inside to order, leaving the bike outside and taking the keys from the ignition. When he came back out, the bike was gone.
“I order, I get my food, then I look back, and my bike was gone,” Jaiden said.
After asking people in the area if they had seen anything, Jaiden eventually went home without the bike, his family said.
“We’re just devastated by the fact that someone took his bike, I’m sure they didn’t know it was his Make-A-Wish bike, but, you know, it was his Make-A-Wish bike, that was his wish,” Ashley said.
Ashley said she has noticed what she believes is a decrease in safety in the area and wants to create a neighborhood watch to help prevent or solve future incidents.
“It’s not just my kid that has to live here, it’s other people’s kids too, and it’s other people in general,” she said.
If you would like to donate to Jaiden, please visit the GoFundMe link.
