Charities donate adaptive bikes to 4 special-needs children

Greilyn Rios started out just like everyone else, but 11 days after she was born, she got a fever.

That fever caused a seizure and brain damage. Today, at 8 years old, she is a severe epileptic, has cerebral palsy, autism and is blind.

Her mom Serina knows she has a strong-willed little girl.

“They told us she had five days to live and she beat all odds and still to this day is beating all odds,” she said.

Thanks to Grampy’s Charities, the Ronald McDonald House, Robbie’s Riders and Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, four special-needs children, including Greilyn, received adaptive bikes specially made for each child.

“This is a life-altering thing,” said Jack Johannemann. He knows every child should get to experience getting on a bike, but it’s not always possible.

“Without these adaptive bicycles, these children don’t get that experience,” he said. “This is one of the most important things you can do is help somebody else.”

“She has a hard time doing things that, obviously, other 8-year-olds know how to, do so when they said ‘bike,’ I was kind of skeptical, but she’s over there enjoying it,” said Serina. “Being able to just use it and use different motor skills that we didn’t think she had will be, obviously, amazing.”

These adaptive bikes can run anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, but the Rios family and the other three children took that special ride home for free.