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By Kirby
Neumann-Rea
News Editor
Happiness is a tricycle.
Micah Erickson knows
that better than anyone.
When the 12-year-old
middle schooler got off the school bus Monday, a big surprise
awaited.
But the first thing she
did was pass out hugs to friends who had gathered in the driveway.
“Look, Micah! Over
here,” her friend, Savannah LaCook, called out.
There was her father,
Albert Erickson, wheeling forward on a shiny blue Workman’s
Trading adult-sized tricycle.
“This is for you,
Micah,” said her mother, Chesney.
Friends and family
gathered to watch as the Make-A-Wish Foundation presented Micah
with a gift that will give the Wy’east Middle School special needs
student a new form of mobility.
After initial
reluctance, mainly because she seemed to realize she was the
center of attention, Micah climbed aboard the tricycle with
Albert. Chesney helped her on with her bright blue Make-A-Wish
T-shirt. Then, as the group cheered, father and daughter pedaled
out the driveway and down
Methodist Road — Bubba the golden retriever trailing enthusiastically.
When they came back a
few minutes later the photos began; Micah and Make-A-Wish grantors
Karen Woodruff of Trout Lake and Marcia Bizon of Portland,
classmates, aunts and uncles, and other friends, then with her
parents and sister, Kayla.
Family members included
great-grandma Marvel Yates, grandmother Bonnie McGinnis, and great
uncle Perry Thompson.
Micah laughed and beamed
the whole time. Domino’s pizza guy David Canites arrived with a
delivery and he posed for a photo.
Micah, who has had
multiple seizures and two brain operations and is non-verbal,
nonetheless communicated in volumes her joy at the gift.
“It started with this
gravel,” Albert said, toeing the rocks under his feet. It’s a
solid gravel driveway, but not for someone such as Micah who is
less sure of foot. Earlier this year, she tripped on the gravel
and broke her nose. There were other incidents, Albert said, and
so they thought to make things safer for Micah they would pave the
driveway. But the lowest estimate came in at around $10,000, more
than Albert and Chesney could afford.
“So we approached
Make-a-Wish, but they told us they don’t do home improvement
projects.” Albert said. “But then they asked, ‘Is there anything
else she would like? What about a bike?’ And we said, ‘Yes, a
bike.’”
Well, trike, as it
turned out.
Bizon said this is the
first tricycle she has heard of Make-A-Wish giving.
Woodruff and Bizon began
meeting with the family in their roles as grantors — volunteers
who meet with applicants, review their requests and then help make
the wishes happen. The process involved a lengthy session over
coffee and pie at
Shari’s as Woodruff
helped them through the copious paperwork required by Make-A-Wish.
The wish was originally scheduled for early fall, but the
tricycles were on back-order.
This is Woodruff’s first
Wish in
Hood
River
after 10 years as a grantor.
Monday was a happy day
for all concerned.
“It’s always gratifying
to meet these families and see something nice happen to them after
they’ve had some problems,” Woodruff said.
Chesney said that not
only is the bike good for Micah, it’s good for the entire family.
Albert and Chesney and
their other daughter, Kayla, 9, have always enjoyed bicycling, and
Methodist Road and the west side of
Hood
River
in general is a great area for riding, Chesney said.
“Micah always had to
watch as Albert and Kayla would ride off, but she would not be
able to go along, and she really wanted to be a part of that. Now,
this is something we can all do together,” Chesney said.
“This will help unite
us,” she said.
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