The Vancouver Island community has once again rallied around a young girl who suffered life-altering brain injuries after being hit by a car in a crosswalk in 2017.
In just days, enough funds were raised for a Leila Bui to receive a special piece of mobility equipment.
Bui's mother, Kairry Nguyen, entered an online contest to win the wheelchair bicycle with a specialized seat for her daughter.
"It was the school physiotherapist that reached out to me and made me aware of this contest, because we were just talking about things we could do with Leila," said Nguyen.
To win the contest, Nguyen called on the community to help vote and donate to the contest.
"I thought this would be a great opportunity if we could win that bike, and it will be another thing that we can include Leila in when we’re doing family activities," she said.
In less than a week, the family had raised more than enough money to cover the cost of the bike.
"We're just so shocked," said Nguyen. "Everybody's excited, like, oh my gosh, we actually get a bike, you know?"
Nguyen says the community has been very supportive ever since the 2016 crash.
"I didn’t expect it at all," she said. "I know we have a great community."
"So it means a lot, like so, so much, I can't even put it into words to tell you the truth," she said. "You get to see from my smile and stuff just how overjoyed I am, and her siblings are just as excited about it too."
Bui's family says she loved to ride her bike before she got a severe brain injury caused by a speeding vehicle hitting her at a crosswalk near her school in Saanich.
The contest that the family entered is still active until March 29.
If a participant gets the most votes and raises enough money to win the top spot, all additional funds will be carried forward to help others receive prizes.
While the family already has the special bike secured for Bui, her mother is asking the community to keep voting and donating to help even more contestants.
"It’s a great program, this Great Bike Giveaway," she said. "I don’t think anybody would actually get to know what it means unless you're in a position where you have a child who you want to have included in family activities," she said.
The Great Bike Giveaway is dedicated to the memory of a Michaela Noam Kaplan, a young girl who passed away at just five years of age.
"Despite her physical limitations due to cerebral palsy, Michaela adored life, traveled the world, went to school — and loved her adaptive bicycle," the contest website says.
"This year, we ask you to support the Great Bike Giveaway in memory of Michaela Noam Kaplan, bringing an important therapeutic tool and means of inclusion to countless children across the country with physical disabilities who could not otherwise afford one."
When registering for the contest, each participant can look at various types of mobility bikes and select a model that meets their specific needs.
Nguyen has chosen the Duet, a tandem wheelchair bike with a bucket seat on the front for her daughter, Leila. She needed to raise $5,570 for the bike, but contributions have put her fundraising at about $8,000 and counting.
"The donations are still pouring in, it's so great," she said.
"I can see, I’ve looked at other kids that are on there, and they’re just short of getting their bike, so I’m just hoping that extra, from Leila, from all the donations, are getting to go to these kids and that they'll get their bike," said Nguyen.
More information about the contest can be found on the Great Bike Giveaway website.
The winners will be announced on March 30.
