Special needs girl Meadow Burgin given new bike

Joanne Burgin and her daughter Meadow, 13, with Meadow's new bike after her old one was stolen from outside her school last week. Photo/ Warren Buckland.

The power of social media and a man with good will has united Meadow Burgin with a new bike after hers was stolen last week.

The 13-year-old, who suffers developmental delay, rides a bike every day to and from Napier Intermediate for independence but late last week her bike was taken from outside her school.

With the bike nowhere to be seen and not returned after a couple of days her mother Joanne Burgin posted about the incident on Facebook.

"Just after I posted it I got this private message from someone offering to help. Literally the next day we met and he had brought a new bike for her, it was amazing and incredibly generous."

The new bike was a similar make to Meadow's old one and featured one of her favourite colours - purple.

"We hid it in our room and surprised her with it when she got home from school and you should have seen the smile on her face when she saw it, she was so happy."

When asked yesterday how much she loved the bike Meadow pulled a big thumbs up.

Today is the first day she will take her new ride to school and Mrs Burgin said she was very excited.

"She was a bit sad not being able to take it today (Wednesday) but we thought we would wait until tomorrow (Thursday) and she can't wait to take it for the rest of the week before the school holidays."

The "generous" man, who wished not to be named, said his heart melted when he saw the post.

"Taking someone with a disability's bike is a real kick in the teeth so getting her a new one was the least I could do."

The man went down to the same store Miss Burgin got her original bike from a few years ago and got the same model and colour.

"Her mum sent us a photo of her on the bike and she looked very excited so that was cool for us to see."