WATCH Chuckie Magee Take His First Spin on New Adaptive Bike (VIDEO is below article)

Chuckie Magee was all smiles Thursday afternoon when representatives of the Lancaster AMBUCS surprised him with a brand new, bright red adaptive bike. For the Warwick grad with special needs who underwent a leg amputation last fall after receiving a bone cancer diagnosis, it is a dream come true.

“The look on his face was just pure excitement,” said Bev, who has also battled cancer in the past twelve months. She was diagnosed last may with ovarian cancer, but is believed to be in remission following chemotherapy. LititzDailyNews.com first featured their story in December.

“It was a huge day for Chuckie,” said mom Bev Magee. Throughout his three-month hospital stay in Hershey, Chuckie kept his spiky bike helmet by his side, talking often of his desire to ride again in the “park” near his home, a playground at Lititz Elementary School.

“Just that bike ride over there, and playing on the equipment, and riding back, is enormous to him,” said Bev. “It just really makes his day.  It’s the small things that he’s really grateful for.”

Bev received word today that the delivery, which was postponed last week due to cold weather, would take place on the warmest day so far this year. The significance of the moment was not lost on Bev.

“Realistically, we didn’t think that he would even ride a bike again, so him getting a bike that is adapted for him is very cool,” said Bev.

When Chuckie went outside to greet his visitors yesterday and saw the bike, he was a little uncertain at first. Then the realization hit that the shiny, elongated red tricycle was for him. It wasn’t just a special moment for Chuckie and his mother, but for AMBUCS Public Relations Chair and Board Member Cheryl Swain as well.

“For me, this is a special moment because my first trike I ever gave out was Chuckie’s, when he was 18,” said Swain, who has now distributed over 150 bikes.  “Chuckie really left a dent in my heart, so this is a very special moment today.” This is the third bike that the organization has presented to Chuckie in his lifetime.  His first was delivered at age 7.

“When he was presented his own bike, he was in a race, and he won the race,” said Bev. “AMBUCS really has been a huge part of his life. Riding a bike is one of his passions.”

But the bike, which Chuckie will pedal with his arms, is about more than just play.

“It’s going to be part of his physical therapy and building his muscles,” said Bev. “He’s still very weak, and relies on us for a lot for being transferred. “He uses very little of his muscles right now.  I think the more that he is out riding his bike, his muscles will become stronger and he’ll become more independent, and that’s the goal, to have him as independent as possible.” The bike is going to actually help him. He’s happy because he has his bike, but we’re happy because he’ll be building strength.”

Since the non-profit organization’s funds were depleted when the call came in from the national headquarters that Chuckie needed a bike, members of the local chapter stepped up to cover the costs themselves for the adaptive bike that costs over $2,000. It’s not the first time members of the community have stepped up to help.  After we published the family’s story on LititzDailyNews.com, the local community rallied to raise over $5,000 for the family at a basketball fundraiser held at the high school.

Today though, it was all about Chuckie and the AMBUCS, which could be a great name for a band.

“The members actually pulled funds together for this bike,” said Bev. “It wasn’t money that was donated to AMBUCS, it was the actual members putting money out of their pocket for Chuckie, which, is amazing.”

“We enjoy the smiles we get when we give a bike like this, and appreciate the family as well for all they have to go through” said Harry Loshnowsky, past president and a 12-year board member of AMBUCS Lancaster. Brian McLaughlin, current president of the chapter, was also on hand for the presentation.

“His whole life, I think that God has kind of used him as an instrument,” said Bev. He’s been through a lot in his 23 years.But of course this past four to five months is like nothing I ever thought we’d go through. It’s been an experience of holding on, and really leaning on God because there’s nothing else you can do. You just have the hope and faith that things will, you know, be good.”

To make a donation to Chuckie Magee, contact [email protected] or post on our Facebook site. To contribute to AMBUCS, contact them through their Facebook page here.

Lynn Rebuck covers Lititz and everything else for LititzDailyNews.com, an award-winning independent, online-only source for news headquartered in Lititz and NOT affiliated with any print publications.  Does your print paper look like more of a history lesson than a newspaper? Follow us into the future of Lititz publishing by liking us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. And best of all, you don’t have to pay for a subscription or deal with carrier issues. News 24/7, delivered at your convenience. Click. Like. Share. The future of Lititz news is here on LititzDailyNews.com.