Bikers doesn’t have the best reputation and that’s just because certain people have done certain things that gave it a bad name.
You can’t blame people too much in their ignorance; images of the criminal biker gangs of the ’60s and ’70s may come to mind.
There were some bad guys out there doing illegal acts, but that doesn’t mean we should group all the bikers together as being bad guys.
Nowadays, the term “biker gang” is often used for groups of men and women who simply like to take care of their bikes, trade tips and tricks with each other, and drive around town as a club or membership community.
And from my experience, some of the nicest people in the world are bikers.
Before the end of the school year, a Wisconsin mom named Maranda Karna decided to do something very special for her son Thomas.
Thomas has autism and was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which required a lengthy hospital stay as a newborn.
He was diagnosed when he was 4 years old but overall he is like all other children and of course his mother wanted to make sure he got a proper celebration with his 10th birthday coming up.
She sent out invitations to 70 classmates, only to receive three RSVPs.
Only one said he’d attend.
Knowing that Thomas loves motorcycles, family friend Stephanie Lovejoy turned to Facebook to ask bikers to surprise Thomas for his birthday.
Maranda and her family were absolutely brokenhearted.
After everything Thomas had gone through, the last thing she wanted was for her sweet, kindhearted son to feel rejected on his birthday.
But soon a family friend came up with a brilliant idea.
Knowing that Thomas had a big passion for motorcycles, family friend Stephanie Lovejoy turned to Facebook to ask bikers to surprise Thomas for his birthday.
”Meet up and show him that he is not different and that he is loved just as much as everyone else”, Stephanie wrote.
Stephanie and the family thought the turnout would be 20 people, at the most.
Nothing could prepared her, Maranda, or Thomas for what was in store….
More than 300 bikers responded to the invitation by riding into Thomas’ birthday.
”Words can not express how much this means to me and his dad”, Maranda Karna told ABC News.
The big-hearted bikers brought balloons, cake, cards, and presents. Thomas even got a motorcycle jacket and the group chapter brought their badges to give to him and made him an honoree member.
But that wasn’t all.
The attendees also raised $1,1000 for the family’s charity and donated money to Autism Speaks and to CDH International.
Miranda Karna called the show of support “breathtaking.”
”It’s been hard on him as his autism affects him socially and emotionally. Also battling other health issues stemming from a birth defect. It’s encouraging to see a community come together and show him the same thing that we try to teach him every day.”
As for how Thomas felt about how his birthday party turned out, he told WISN:
”It makes me feel like one of the most special people on earth.”
These bikers may look tough and rough, but in actuality, they’re big-hearted individuals looking out for their community.
Bikers are some of the most tender hearted people I know! Glad they showed up big for Thomas ????
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