UPLAND (CBSLA.com) — A 10-year-old girl Thursday received a special bike to help alleviate her disabilities.
Kayla Hall has suffered from a congenital disease, known as Prader-Willi Syndrome, since birth. The syndrome causes low muscle tone, reduced mental ability and insatiable hunger. Kayla also suffers from a severe form of juvenile scoliosis, and wears a cast to correct her spine.
Unfortunately, the back condition left her unable to do the one thing she loves the most, which is to ride a bike, unaided.
Kayla’s mother, Melissa, was unable to afford the $5,000 bicycle that would accommodate the special needs.
CBS2 and KCAL9 viewers stepped up to help out after Melissa — a single working mother — set up a GoFundMe page.
“I thought it was a dream,” Melissa told CBS2’s Kristine Lazar, “I thought this kind of stuff doesn’t happen.”
On Thursday morning the dream came true when Kayla got a bike.
The dream started in February when CBS2 first did a piece on Kayla and her need for wheels.
After the piece aired, funds poured in.
“That night, I was in my living room,” says Castillo, “I was crying and laughing all at the same time.”
One individual alone gave $3,000. The $5,000 goal was quickly shattered.
And then the post got even better, a local non-profit — Variety: The Children’s Charity of Southern California — offered to donate the bike so Castillo could save the GoFundMe money for Kayla’s daily care.
“When you put a child with disabilities on a bike,” says Elizabeth O’Neill with Variety Children’s Charity, “those disabilities often just fade away.”
Castillo is in awe of the generosity of the public and Variety.
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This story was taken from CBSLA.com