Central Point, Ore. — The kindness of others is making a big difference to a Central Point boy who was a victim to crime.
His bike was recently stolen right in front of him.
It was a Facebook post by Central Point Police – showing the stolen bike and explaining what happened to Braydan Carter – that pulled at the heart strings of local business owners.
“We came out… and it was gone,” Braydan said.
Three weeks ago, 12-year-old Braydan walked out of the Central Point Mcdonalds to find his locked up BMX bike stolen.
“I immediately… panicked,” Braydan said.
Braydan says he spent the rest of the day searching for the bike, but it never showed.
“It meant a lot… it was my first BMX bike… truly,” Braydan said.
Braydan’s mom says he had been asking for the bike for years and he finally got it last Christmas.
“I went everywhere with it… it was my get-around,” Braydan said.
Braydan had almost lost all hope until his mom received a call that same night.
It was Rick Deates – the owner of Bobbio’s Pizza.
He said he had seen the Facebook post about the incident and wanted to buy Braydan a new bike.
“I remember when I was 12 and I had a bike stolen and it was a pretty devastating moment,” Deates said.
When Braydan heard the news, he was shocked.
“Once I heard about it, I just burst into tears,” Braydan said.
Wednesday afternoon, Deates gave Braydan his new BMX bike.
But he didn’t do it alone.
Patriot Electric and Oregon Eye and Vision pitched in to help buy the bike and members from the community also donated $60 dollars.
“It’s just cool to be in business in a community with other partners like that,” Deates said.
Both Deates and Braydan’s mom say Braydan has several lessons to learn from this experience.
“I am hoping that he learns that there’s people out there that do bad things, but he lives in a wonderful community that will come together and support him through this hard time,” Braydan’s mom, Nicole Carter, said.
It’s been a hard lesson, but Brayden says he isn’t going to go anywhere where he can’t take his bike inside with him
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