Blue Island family grateful after teen's wheelchair is returned following auto theft
BLUE ISLAND, Ill. (CBS) -- A mom in Blue Island is breathing easier now that she is no longer carrying her special needs child around.
Thieves left the Blue Island family in a bind after stealing their car with customized medical equipment inside. But as CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the teen's wheelchair has now been returned.
After more than a week of worry, Alicia Rodriguez is more than relieved.
"Happy," she said. "I'm really happy."
Rodriguez was overjoyed to see her son's wheelchair back in their possession.
"He'sBecause he not able to walk far," she said.
Aidan Beltran, 15, requires 24-hour care. He suffers from cerebral palsy, Noonan syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome, inversion of chromosome 19, and he also has autism, Rodriguez told us.
A specialized wheelchair is important in Aidan's mobility.
That is why last week, when surveillance cameras captured thieves stealing the family car from out in front of their home in Blue Island, Aidan's mom had more concerns about the specialized car seat and wheelchair inside than the stolen vehicle.
The two customized items run tens of thousands of dollars apiece. Yet for a week, Rodriguez wondered how she would move forward.
Then came word that police recovered the stolen car in Chicago. But it would take three days until Rodriguez discovered Aidan's wheelchair was also inside.
"I couldn't go hardly anywhere, because he couldn't walk that far," Rodriguez said. "I couldn't go grocery shopping. It was bad."
Rodriguez set up a GoFundMe, and was amazed that in seven days, nearly $20,000 was donated – mostly from strangers who had compassion for her son and their unfortunate circumstances.
"I was like, wow," Rodriguez said. "I'm really grateful for that. I mean, they have big hearts."
The family's car was damaged, but the help continues. Aidan's mom says a tow company is willing to fix the damage free of charge – another way the community has embraced the family.