Chris Kennard is a 13-year-old from De Pere, Wisconsin. He is a reader, a swimmer, and now with the help of FATWHEELS… a cyclist!

Christmas Morning

A new bike with a set of Large FATWHEELS was waiting for Chris beside the tree on Christmas morning.  His father, Jay Kennard, also purchased a bike stand trainer hoping it  would help Chris develop his pedaling skills.  Jay reports that he had trouble at first, but by adding foot cages to the pedals, Chris can keep his feet straight enough to pedal for 15 minutes at a time. A BIG accomplishment for Chris.

Setting a Goal

The Kennard family is going on a vacation this spring and their goal is to help Chris learn to ride with his FATWHEELS by then. Jay says t the challenge is truly motivating Chris to practice.

Success

On January 25th, exactly one month after Chris received his FATWHEELS, I got an email from Jay that included a video of Chris riding in his neighborhood.  The email’s subject line contained two words: NEW CYCLIST.  I cried when I saw the video.  Great job Chris!  You are a star!

Freedom & Fun

I asked Jay what Chris liked most about riding his bike and although Chris is mostly non-verbal, his father says he believes it is the sense of independence he experiences.

For example, during a recent ride, Chris took the lead and the rest of the family followed him for over two and a half miles. “It was fun to see that,” says Jay. “He is learning so fast.”

As I wrap up this post…I feel so honored that amazing families like the Kennards share their inspiring stories with me.  Let’s make a deal: If you promise to keep sending them in; I promise to keep sharing them out. Let’s spread the word.  Together, we can make sure that EVERYBODY can ride.

 

Until next time,

Colleen