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Glen Ellyn, IL —
Five-year-old Owen Payton had an exciting year.
First, in November, he received a new playground at his house through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Then, on Christmas Eve, the young West Chicago boy had another surprise appear at his door.
“It’s yellow with black and white and we’re going to put a bell on it,” Owen said excitedly.
Riley’s Third Annual Christmas Adventure, a project hosted by the St. Charles-based non-profit Project Mobility, donated adaptive bikes to four children this holiday with physical disabilities.
One of those children was Owen.
Owen is a kindergartner at Evergreen Elementary School in Carol Stream and his mother, Christina, is the advertising coordinator at the Courier student newspaper at the College of DuPage.
“It was a big surprise for me,” Christina said.
The only person in the family who knew about Owen’s new bike was his father, Chris. Otherwise, it was a complete surprise to the rest of the family.
Owen has multiple congenital heart defects and also has cerebral palsy, which causes movement in the right side of his body to be delayed. He’s already had had three open heart surgeries and takes seven medications twice each day.
The bike costs around $3,000, and Chris said it gives Owen the opportunity to spend more time with his sister and neighbors. In the past, Owen’s tried riding a regular bicycle without success. When he saw his 3-year-old sister, Juliet, riding her bike, he said he wanted to ride one, too.
“I would say, ‘Juliet’s riding in the street!’” Owen said. “I wanted to get a bike.”
The bike is specialized for Owen based on his size, with feet straps and three wheels. Chris said it allows Owen to do more physical activity, which has been difficult in the past because of his cerebral palsy.
“It’s made perfect for him,” Chris said. “For the first time, Owen will have an opportunity to ride a bike with friends and family. For someone with cerebral palsy, this gives Owen an opportunity to be like everyone else.”
Although Owen fell on his first attempt to ride the bike — he was going too fast — he hopped back on and said he’s really good at riding it now.
Riley’s Christmas Adventure started three years ago after now 12-year-old Riley Christensen heard about Project Mobility in St. Charles, which makes special modified bikes for children with disabilities.
Five-year-old Owen Payton had an exciting year.
First, in November, he received a new playground at his house through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Then, on Christmas Eve, the young West Chicago boy had another surprise appear at his door.
“It’s yellow with black and white and we’re going to put a bell on it,” Owen said excitedly.
Riley’s Third Annual Christmas Adventure, a project hosted by the St. Charles-based non-profit Project Mobility, donated adaptive bikes to four children this holiday with physical disabilities.
One of those children was Owen.
Owen is a kindergartner at Evergreen Elementary School in Carol Stream and his mother, Christina, is the advertising coordinator at the Courier student newspaper at the College of DuPage.
“It was a big surprise for me,” Christina said.
The only person in the family who knew about Owen’s new bike was his father, Chris. Otherwise, it was a complete surprise to the rest of the family.
Owen has multiple congenital heart defects and also has cerebral palsy, which causes movement in the right side of his body to be delayed. He’s already had had three open heart surgeries and takes seven medications twice each day.
The bike costs around $3,000, and Chris said it gives Owen the opportunity to spend more time with his sister and neighbors. In the past, Owen’s tried riding a regular bicycle without success. When he saw his 3-year-old sister, Juliet, riding her bike, he said he wanted to ride one, too.
“I would say, ‘Juliet’s riding in the street!’” Owen said. “I wanted to get a bike.”
The bike is specialized for Owen based on his size, with feet straps and three wheels. Chris said it allows Owen to do more physical activity, which has been difficult in the past because of his cerebral palsy.
“It’s made perfect for him,” Chris said. “For the first time, Owen will have an opportunity to ride a bike with friends and family. For someone with cerebral palsy, this gives Owen an opportunity to be like everyone else.”
Although Owen fell on his first attempt to ride the bike — he was going too fast — he hopped back on and said he’s really good at riding it now.
Riley’s Christmas Adventure started three years ago after now 12-year-old Riley Christensen heard about Project Mobility in St. Charles, which makes special modified bikes for children with disabilities.
Riley decided to write letters to everyone on her family’s Christmas list, asking for their help in raising money to purchase an adaptive bike for a child through Project Mobility. She was able to purchase bikes for three children the first year, and a total of 14 in three years, according to Tammy Simmons, sister of Hal Honeyman — who founded Project Mobility.
Chris said the unique start of the charity makes getting Owen’s bike even better.
“To have kids do this makes the experience even more meaningful,” he said.
To participate in Riley’s Christmas Adventures, residents can submit an application — which is what the Paytons did — or the children can be referred by a therapist, Simmons said.
Regardless of how they come in contact with Project Mobility, Simmons said deliveries to the families are great experiences.
“They’re usually smiling ear-to-ear and the parents are usually crying because the kids have never been on a bike before,” she said. “There’s a lot of emotion."
About Project Mobility
Project Mobility is a nonprofit based in St. Charles that was started by Hal Honeyman after his son, Jacob, was born with cerebral palsy.
According to Tammy Simmons, Honeyman’s sister, Project Mobility was started in 2002 and provides adaptive camps all over the U.S. by bringing adaptive bikes by trailer. The group also works with wounded soldiers.
Donate to Project Mobility
Online projectmobility.org
Call (630) 762-9807
Mail 2930 Campton Hills Road, St. Charles, Ill. 60175
