The theft of a motorized scooter robbed a Nova Scotia man of his mobility and independence this week, but thanks to the kindness of strangers, Steve Weatherby’s life will soon be back on track.
Cerebral palsy has left the Bible Hill man paralyzed on one side of his body, requiring him to use a motorized scooter to get around.
Weatherby paid $1,800 for his scooter with recycled bottles and donations from his community, but he was devastated to find it had been stolen from his shed earlier this week.
However, after hearing about the theft, some anonymous donors banded together and ordered a brand new $3,500 wheelchair scooter for Weatherby.
“It makes me overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude,” said a beaming Weatherby Wednesday.
“Steve’s actually been a customer of ours for quite some time,” said Cindy Spencer-Fagioli, who manages MacQuarrie’s Home Health Centre in Truro.
“We kind of know his needs and what works well for him, so with that, we were able to able to pick a scooter that we felt would work well for him.”
The response from across the Maritimes was quick and generous after CTV News aired the story Tuesday night.
Scooters of all shapes and sizes were being offered for Weatherby, free of charge.
“There’s so many generous people out there that have supported Steve in all of this, and we as a family and Steve are certainly appreciative of all the support that we’ve received,” says Weatherby’s sister, Kathy MacKay.
“I know Steve’s well-known around the community and I didn’t realize the generousity and love that came with it,” says his brother, Mark Weatherby.
As an added bonus for Weatherby, his new scooter will also have a small trailer at the back, so he can easily collect recycled bottles.
“I just want to thank everybody that supported me, and they’re still supporting me yet.”
Weatherby’s new wheels are expected to arrive by Tuesday.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh
