For Louisa Shafia, the thought of teaching her son Dante to ride a bicycle felt like a daunting task because of his significant developmental challenges. Dante initially rode an adaptive tricycle before transitioning to a regular trike, which he loved speeding around on like a “speed demon.” But when it came to riding an unassisted bicycle, Louisa wasn’t sure it would ever be possible.
That changed when Louisa met Bike Fun founder KJ at the Shelby Recreation Open House at Shelby Community Center and asked if she had experience working with kids with special needs. KJ’s response was simple: “I’m up for giving lessons to whoever needs them.”
What followed was a lesson in dedication and patience. Week after week, KJ met with Dante, remaining steadfast even when Dante seemed completely disinterested, frustrated, or—on one infamous occasion—accidentally dropped a heavy rock on KJ’s sandaled foot, injuring a toe.
The breakthrough came seemingly out of the blue. After over a year of lessons, Dante was balancing and moving with ease but was avoiding the pedals. KJ decided to put Dante on a tandem bike attachment with mom in front, so he could feel what it’s like to balance and ride without the risk of falling. “Literally the following day, when I put him on his bike to go the three blocks to school, he took off and started riding,” Louisa recalls. “It was truly a miracle.”
Today, Dante rides around with friends with independence. Louisa continues to support Bike Fun through in-kind donations to pay forward the life-changing impact the program has made on Dante’s life.
“I am KJ’s servant for life!” Louisa laughs. “If Bike Fun can teach Dante and he can ride flawlessly now, anyone can. Give them a shot. There is so much potential joy at the other end if you stick with it.”
Explore Louisa’s online store Feast by Louisa – Bike Fun is grateful for her delicious in-kind contributions!
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