What to Know
There are some things you don’t even expect some of the most vile thieves to do, and that include stealing a wheelchair from a small child who needs it to get around and be mobile. That’s what happened for one mom, who posted on TikTok that someone stole her son’s customized wheelchair out of a secured parking garage.
If you feel sick to your stomach at the thought of someone having the gull to do that, you aren’t alone. It takes a special kind of subhuman to think that would be OK.
Whether this person did it out of a plan to sell the wheelchair for money or just did it for some sick form of entertainment, the truth is that, without the wheelchair, this mom’s little boy has no way to get around independently.
Her son’s wheelchair was allegedly stolen from a parking garage and a man was seen riding it afterwards.
@mummyteee 🚨 URGENT HELP NEEDED 🚨 My son’s custom made wheelchair has been STOLEN. This isn’t just equipment. This is his independence. His mobility. His freedom. We came home to find it gone and we are completely heartbroken. His wheelchair is: • Custom built • White base • May still have flight tags attached including British Airways tags from our recent holiday • Contains personal identifying details Without it, my son cannot go out or live his normal life. If you see anyone with a wheelchair matching this description, please message me immediately. After 24 hours, it could be anywhere so we need the community’s eyes NOW. Please share to help us find it 🙏🏾 #StolenWheelchair #DisabilityAwareness #AccessibleNotOptional #LondonCommunity #fyp ♬ original sound – MUMMYTEE🤍|TEON’S ADVENTURES⚽️
The mom says in her video that it doesn’t make sense why someone would steal her son’s motorized wheelchair, which was made specially for him.
“If you guys see this wheelchair, from Southeast London, please let me know, because my son’s got school on Monday,” she says. “Worst thing is that they can see that it’s a child’s wheelchair. So I don’t understand any type of morals or values that people have. It’s not making sense. But I’m begging, I’m begging, I’m begging and I’m pleading because my son needs to use it. He’s an active user and without that, I have to carry him around.”
She explains that she is waiting for CCTV footage from the garage to determine if there is evidence of who took the wheelchair. She is also in contact with the police, and she hopes to give a reward to someone who comes forward with the wheelchair. Her son’s medical condition, which she doesn’t specify in the video, requires use of that wheelchair every single day.
People in the comments were outraged.
The TikTok video took off and went viral pretty quickly with thousands of people leaving messages in the comments.
“Who steals a wheelchair are people okay? This is so bad man,” one person wrote. Another added, “This is disgraceful, I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
Other comments included, “What sort of twisted person robs a disabled child?” “Wow this is absolutely despicable 💔💔💔,” and “That is so awful, what could someone want with a child’s wheelchair.”
A GoFundMe was set up to replace the wheelchair that was stolen.
After people left comments of support and urged her to start a GoFundMe, her sister arranged for a fundraiser to help raise money for a new wheelchair, in the event that they don’t get back the one that was stolen. In the GoFundMe, the mom’s sister wrote that “a black male was seen riding” down a local street, presumably on the wheelchair, which just adds to the mystery.
“This isn’t ‘just a wheelchair,'” the GoFundMe says. “It’s Teon’s independence, mobility, and freedom. Without it, he can’t safely leave the house or do everyday things most people take for granted.”
Three days after the GoFundMe started, it had raised more than £7,000 (~$9,416.64 USD) of its £6,500 (~$8,744.02 USD) goal.
