Glenn Lucky will have his new, custom-made tricycle in about two weeks and enough money left over to pay for repairs and new tires for the rest of his life after an outpouring of community support this week.
Donations from residents have flooded The Bike Smith, reportedly topping $11,000 in two days, after residents learned about Lucky's need for a new trike. The 52-year-old, who struggles with worsening cerebral palsy, is having difficulty operating his older tricycle.
The donations will allow The Bike Smith to further customize Lucky's new lightweight trike. The basic custom-fitted model originally cost $3,000, but the additional contributions will allow him to order his "dream bike" with all the features he needed, owner Rob Smith said.
The gears and brakes will be placed on the left handlebar, allowing him to operate the controls with his strong hand, and it will be painted a patriotic red, white and blue, as Lucky requested.
Lucky is overwhelmed with the response, his mother, Peggy Lucky, said.
"He is going to have the most super bike ever," she said. "He is just ecstatic."
One man stopped by the bike shop Thursday after reading an article in the Nevada Appeal and wrote a check out for $3,000, just as Lucky was pulling up to the store, she said.
"The guy at the bike shop said he just stood there and almost fainted," she said. "Glenn about fell off his bike. These are people with good hearts."
The East Fork Fire and Paramedic Employees Association Local N. 3726 donated $1,000 Friday after reading about Lucky's need.
"It started as kitchen-table talk that we should donate," said Scott Rasmussen, company officer at Jacks Valley Station 12, and union member. "Everybody likes Glenn - he's an inspiration."
Union President John Bellona and Vice President Ron Santos, who spearheaded the donation, facilitated talks about the article during shift changes at East Fork Fire and Paramedic District stations 7, 12 and 14.
Smith helped Lucky open a bank account where he will keep the money to pay for the trike when it arrives in the next few weeks. It will also pay for repairs and tires needed in the future, Smith said.
The store continued to receive non-stop calls and walk-in donations Friday from hundreds of residents, Smith said.
Lucky's condition began to worsen recently and he began falling off his older trike, but has continued riding in the rain, snow and cold.
He first started riding at age 15 in South Lake Tahoe as therapy to loosen his muscles. He moved to Indian Hills with his parents 20 years ago.
When Lucky was young, doctors told his mother he wouldn't live to be 18 years old. He's now 52.
His perseverance and abundant spirit has inspired many Carson City area residents who have watched him pedal about 40 miles a day through the city.
Contact Jill Lufrano at 881-1217. Record-Courier reporter Karel Ancona-Henry contributed to this report.