Kaya Roach, four years old, was born with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Kaya Roach is mobile only by crawling.
“It’s been pretty hard knowing that she may never be able to walk and be like the other children,”Kaya’s mother Amanda Roach said. “But she’s still Kaya, and that’s all that matters to me.”
CBS News’ Amanda said that she would love to have Amanda take part in activities similar to her friends. And that day is here, thanks to Louisiana retiree Andrew McLindon.
He recently surprised Kaya with an adaptive bike specially built for her needs with an extra wheel and straps to help keep her upright.
“The neighborhood kids thought this bike was the coolest thing they’d ever seen. They love it.”Andrew. “It’s all about the inclusion thing, and that’s when I knew, this is it. This is what we need to do.”
13 years ago, he gifted the first bike to his family friend. This is his 430th gift.
Andrew initially paid out his own pocket to purchase the bikes. These bikes are now supported by donations. Each one costs several thousands of dollars because they are custom made.
That puts the bikes out of reach for many families already stretched to the max trying to pay for medical bills.
“It’s everything. It’s everything. It’s what life is about,”McLindon described the joy he feels when he witnesses those reactions.
“The things that I get to see with these families of these children is a gift. It’s an absolute gift, and it’s not lost on me, and I’m very grateful for it,”He added. “And subsequently, I’ll do this forever.”