CHEK Upside: Local cycle shop steps up to replace Victoria nurse’s stolen bike

CHEK
WatchWhen Becky Bennett discovered her bike had been stolen after a grueling 12-hour shift, she never imagined she'd later be on the receiving end of a community's extraordinary act of kindness.

Cardiac nurse Becky Bennett was finishing a gruelling 12-hour shift when she found her bike had been stolen.

“I cried all the way home,” said Bennett. “I think everything kind of hit me all at once, I wasn’t just crying about the bike, just all of the heartache, the fear, all at once.”

The Royal Jubilee Hospital worker filed a police report and turned to social media — that’s when word spread fast.

The upsetting news eventually caught the attention of Oak Bay Bikes, a business that is dealing with its own set of unusual circumstances due to the COVID-19 virus. Yet, the community bike shop wanted to help.

“Victoria has a really great community,” said Oak Bay Bikes Communications Manager Jill Appelman. “So we were initially contacted by our friends at the Fernwood Inn, and we pulled our friends from Norco in on that conversation and we said look we’re a bike shop, we’re in a position to help Becky and that’s what we’re going to do.”

The Island cycling staple came through in a big way, donating a brand new bicycle to Becky, free of charge.

“Oh it was so amazing, so heartwarming and made me feel appreciated,” said Bennett. “I know it was an act of kindness, not just for me but all people working on the front lines”

“We really thought it was the least we can do,” said Appelman. “We’re in a position with the bike shop to be able to help Becky and all health care workers who are working on the front lines. We really just wanted to show our appreciation and do what we could to help.”

An act of kindness that has Becky riding to work in style as she continues her battle on the front lines.

Kevin CharachKevin Charach

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