Flin Flon Motorcyclists’ Association Sponsors Customized Bike for Disabled Boy

The stereotype that bikers are tough, law-breaking hooligans are constantly perpetuated by society, so when motorcyclists prove the stereotype wrong by doing good deeds it is always extra satisfying.

(All images taken from Flin Flon Reminder)

Flin Flon is a mining city in Canada, but other than being known for mining, they also house a group of kind hearted bikers called the Flin Flon Motorcyclists’ Association. Recently, the Flin Flon motorcyclists organized a fundraiser to get 12-year-old Troy Carter a specially designed bike, saving him and his family thousands of dollars.

Troy Carter is a boy who suffers from the rare genetic disorder cri du chat syndrome, which affects cognitive and muscular development. The disorder gets its name from the side effect it has on infants - an alteration in the vocal cords that make the child’s cries sound like a cat crying.

“When he was a baby and he cried, that’s literally what it sounded like, a cat yowling. It was eerie,” said mother Brandi Harkin in an interview with the Flin Flon Reminder.

“Technically, he’s 12 but mentally, he is about a year and a half to three years old, depending on his mood. He doesn’t quite talk yet. He’s been walking now for the past six years or so.”

Luckily, Carter’s cri du chat syndrome is not as severe. While there are often kidney or heart problems associated with the disorder, Carter’s were mostly mental disabilities, so he could still move about - albeit with a lot of work.

One of the ways the boy can exercise is via a specially designed bike, but its condition has deteriorated in recent years and thus his family has been looking for a replacement.

“We knew Troy was going to need a new bike this year, we weren’t sure how we were going to get it. Usually, me or his dad would buy it and get some modifications done - that part is mostly covered,” the mother said.

But Carter’s bike is custom-ordered, which means that the cost of the machine is extremely high.

This is where the Flin Flon Motorcyclists’ Association (FFMA) comes in.

Two weeks before the group’s annual Run to the Border riding event, a support worker of Carter’s reached out to them in hopes of getting some help with the funding.

FFMA’s Vice President, Brent Burke, said: “He needed a new bike, he outgrew his previous one. I went to see what we could do about it and the rest is really history.”

According to the Flin Flon Reminder, the donations were completed quickly. During the poker derby and the social held as part of the Run to the Border event, Burke and several other group leaders called out to those in attendance and asked for donations for Carter’s new bike.

In around 20 minutes, they had got around $1,800 in donations, and in another appeal later on they got the rest of the funds down in about 10 minutes.

“Within about 30 minutes, we had raised the price of the bike. I’m speechless. It was awesome. The feeling was tremendous, to be able to do that in such a short time,” Burke said.

The new bike will reportedly feature a handlebar that extends behind the rider, allowing another person to steer the bike.

Carter is also said to be extremely thrilled about his new two-wheeler.

“He understands that he’s getting a new bike. He knows it had something to do with the bikers. We took him out to the clubhouse for the afternoon that day and we took him to see all the bikes - he loves motorcycles,” said Harkin.

With the successful fundraising done by the Flin Flon Motorcyclists’ Association, it spells yet another win for the reputation of bikers. Kudos to all those involved in this charitable act.