It seems there are few things people can agree on these days, but it’s safe to say that stealing from a child is viewed pretty unanimously as awful.
We can also agree that when we see others do good, it often makes us want to do good in return. We can’t always expect reciprocation other than the intrinsic rewards of being good people, but stories like this prove that goodness can indeed be contagious.
A 3-year-old boy went into a store with his mom, leaving his Spider-Man bicycle outside. When he and his mother returned, the bike had vanished. Security footage shared by NEWS CENTER Maine shows a man riding off with it.
The Rockland Maine Police Department made a Facebook post describing the incident and requesting information about the stolen bike. A woman saw that post and was immediately inspired to help—an act of kindness she had no idea would spur many others.
The woman, who remains an anonymous hero, drove over two hours from where she lives in Oxford County the following day to donate a brand new Spider-Man bicycle, complete with a matching helmet and bike lock for good measure.
This good deed wasn’t necessarily an easy task—the woman told the police that she was living out of her car, having been unable to pay for her rent. But just as she decided to help a stranger, so too did others show support once they learned of her plight. In addition to her tolls being paid by a store clerk, the Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition began collecting donations and people have been calling in offering assistance. Many were inspired to supply even more bikes for children who might need them.
Rockland Police added the positive update, saying, “We thought it was important to share this heartwarming outcome with everyone and we are so lucky to live in such a wonderful community.”
Yes, there are bad people out there. But there are far more people who go above and beyond to help others. It’s important to highlight stories like this so that we remember our inherent humanity, no matter how many bleak and divisive headlines are hurled toward us.