Final Gift From Late Father Stolen From Lowell Boy
LOWELL (CBS) - Ethyn Bertrand practiced for his first baseball game of the season, but he was worried about more than the game. A thief stole the last gift his father gave him before he died.
Ethyn's father died less than a year ago in September.
"I really miss him," said Ethyn.
Shortly before he passed, he gave Ethyn a custom bike. The smiles and screams of joy were captured on home video.
Wednesday evening, someone stole the bike from the family's yard at the corner of Endicott and Fourth in Lowell.
"Makes me want to punch him and makes me want to cry," said Ethyn.
No one knows that more than Ethyn's mom. "It's way more than a bike. This is his last gift from his dad who is no longer here. He is a ten—year old boy," said Misty Guilbeault.
Ethyn's bike was only in the yard for three minutes. He dropped his bike in the backyard, ran upstairs to call his grandma and then ran back down to see his bike gone. But, there is one clue.
"(The) little girl jumping on the trampoline right there said, 'some guy on the phone said I'll be right there and jumped on the bike and took off,'" said Misty.
Friends and strangers have offered new bikes.
"I am supposedly getting a bike from someone," said Ethyn. He admits it's not the same.
"He's going to cry every day. He's going to tell me he wants his bike just like he misses his dad," said Misty.
Ethyn said the bike is a red Kink BMX-style bike and one of the rims is spray painted green.
"I really hope that guy returns it…and says sorry," said Ethyn.