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Ypsilanti High School student James Kleimola won’t forget to lock his bike up this time.
The 17-year-old received a new bike from the Ypsilanti Fire Department to replace his old one, which was stolen this summer. The bike was rolled through the front doors of YHS Thursday afternoon as a surprise to the teenager.
“I really miss my other bike a lot,” Kleimola said with a smile while checking out his shiny new Schwinn. “The one that I had before was a nice bike but I can keep this one forever.”
Kleimola’s mother Christine said her son, who has Cerebral Pulsy, forgot to lock his bike up this summer and it was taken while they were away from the house for the day. She said he was really disappointed it was stolen.
“They left the helmet but took the bike,” she said with a chuckle. “He went all around the neighborhood to look for that bike.”
Christine said the bike she purchased for her son was intended to take him into adulthood.
“A bike is really important for him,” she said. “I don’t think James will ever drive a car.”
Fire Chief Jon Ichesco said he received a call about Kleimola’s stolen bike from a custodian at YHS. The Fire Department gives holiday gifts every year to local children. Capt. Michelle Stanbury, who typically coordinates the holiday gifts, said the gift to Kleimola was a little spur of the moment. But she said they were able to talk with Ypsilanti Cycle and find Kleimola a nice bike.
“This is probably more than he asked for,” Ichesco said of the new bike. “All he said is he wanted a bike.”
Kleimola said he is very thankful he got a new bike.
“I feel blessed and I feel very fortunate,” he said.