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Mom astonished by flood of support, hopes custom bike can get Leila Bui cycling again

Tandem bike will allow Leila Bui to cycle with Saanich family again in wake of catastrophic injuries
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Saanich sisters Myla (left) and Leila Bui hope to enjoy bike rides together again as the family looks to customize an adaptive bike for Leila who requires a wheelchair. (1001 cranes 1 Wish/Facebook)

A Saanich teen who relies on a wheelchair will ride with her family once more after the community contributed heartily to the cause.

The family of Leila Bui, who was left with severe, lifelong injuries after she was hit by a driver in 2017 at the age of 11, hoped to get an adaptive bike. They turned to an online resource, The Great Bike Giveaway, that works with adaptive bike companies from around the world to provide them to youth with special needs, offering three ways a child can receive a bike – votes, random draw and fundraising.

In days, the community voted and donated cash well beyond the $5,570 needed to purchase the tandem bicycle that would allow Leila to cycle with someone else.

RELATED: Vote now to get Saanich teen traumatically injured by driver back on a bike

“The community once again has shown their love and support for our little girl Leila,” said stunned mom Kairry Nguyen. “The response from everyone was astonishing. We are currently in first place, and because you not only voted but donated we’ve now met the set goal – Leila gets the bike.”

Nguyen shifted to another online platform to make the bike, now a certainty, as comfortable as possible for her daughter. When Leila was hit while crossing the street, she was thrown about 25 metres and suffered several injuries, including catastrophic brain injury. Because Leila cannot sit on her own, it means a headrest, belts and lateral support are needed to keep her comfortably, correctly and safely positioned during a ride.

“We’re all excited, especially her younger sister and brother, to all the biking adventures this summer,” Nguyen said.

Find the fundraiser to customize the bike online at gofund.me/fe768f62.


@van_reeuwyk
christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca

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