ST PAUL, Minn. — Who would do such a thing? Walk off with an 8-year-old’s wheelchair and then turn around and try to sell it.
It happened near the intersection of Payne and Magnolia Avenue in St. Paul just moments after Direasa Rassman returned from an evening stroll with her two kids.
"I was wearing her in the baby carrier, by the time I lugged my daughter up, got him up... he’s about 55 pounds... up to my second floor apartment, when I came back down the next morning... to get ready to put him on his bus... it was gone," said Rassman.
Immediately Rassman says the stress and an overall sense of helplessness set in.
"He has epilepsy, he has cerebral palsy," said Rassman, knowing her son’s wheelchair is directly linked to his overall quality of life.
"How’s he going to get to school because he can't ride the bus without his chair, how’s he going to get to his doctor’s appointments, his physical therapy appointments," asked Rassman.
With a post from a quick thinking friend and more than 600 shares later on Facebook…
"A woman... she hopped on... offer up... she looked up wheelchair, just typed in wheelchair and it was the first thing that popped up... it was getting sold for 12 hundred dollars," said Rassman.
That ad lead to a meetup from two brave souls with Twin Cities Stolen Bikes who specialize in recovering stolen property, ultimately taking back the wheelchair, free of charge, while offering Rassman a sense of relief and a new appreciation for community.
"I just want to especially thank the community, thank social media, Facebook shares work! If you need help, your community will come through and help you," said Rassman.
Rassman said she wasn't worried about buying another wheelchair because it was covered by insurance. She was more worried about the six months it would take to get it.