‘Dreams have come true.’ Special-made bikes are life changing gifts for 2 Middle GA kids

A pair of Middle Georgia kids received life-changing gifts Tuesday afternoon: adaptive bikes, which are custom-built bikes that accommodate disabilities.

Stella Promesti-Adamek, 7, and Karrington Starks, 17, gasped as Wonder Woman rode a bike into the room.

Both girls had struggled with learning to ride a bike due to their disabilities.

“Riding a bike is something that she has been trying to do ever since she was, maybe, 3 or 4 years old,” said Lillie Starks, Karrington Starks’ mother. “Now her dreams have come true, she can ride a bicycle.”

The bikes were given to the children as part of a partnership between Georgia Power, Wellspring Wellness Center and Freedom Concepts. Representatives from Georgia Power and Wellspring rode into the room with Wonder Woman on the adapted bikes. Their partnership has been ongoing for four years, officials said.

Crystal Matthews, social media chair for the Heart of Georgia Citizens Group of Georgia Power, said Georgia Power tries to provide two bikes a year through their central Georgia operating companies.

Adaptive bikes are costly, custom-made

Beth Bryan, a physical therapist at Wellspring who works with Karrington Starks and Promesti-Adamek, said there is a waiting list of children who may be good candidates to receive a bike. Adaptive bikes can be costly, ranging from $4,500 to $5,000. They are also not covered by insurance, and must be custom designed to suit each child’s needs.

“It’s not something you can just get off the shelf,” Bryan said.

When Matthews contacts Wellspring Wellness Center about giving away bikes, they consider the children currently on the waiting list and their proximity to the service area. Bryan said she also has the children ride adaptive bikes that are similar to what they will receive to make sure it’s a good fit.

Lillie Starks said that when Karrington Starks rode an adaptive bike during a physical therapy appointment, she took to it immediately.

“The first time (Bryan) put her on a bike like this, her world just lit up,” Lillie Starks said.

Neither Karrington Starks nor Promesti-Adamek knew they would be getting bikes Tuesday. Anabella Promesti, Promesti-Adamek’s mother, said both girls were told they were going to their usual physical therapy appointments.

When they arrived in an empty white room with Bryan waiting for them, they weren’t sure what was going on, but all became clear as soon as a pair of doors on the other side of the room opened and the bikes appeared.

Promesti said that not even the dreary weather could get her or her daughter down, and both girls planned to take their bikes out for a spin later that evening.

“When I found out, I was just so happy I could take her for a ride,” Promesti said. “Today is raining, but that’s not gonna stop us.”

This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 9:24 AM.