the 07/22/2008

Disabled Teen's Adult-Sized Tricycle Stolen

(WCCO) A Twin Cities teenager is hoping to get his wheels back aftersomeone stole them last month.

Seventeen-year-old Hendrix Johnson used a special tricycle to getto work, home and friends' houses. The trike was given to him afterhe had brain surgery six years ago.

Doctors removed the left part of his brain when Hendrix was 11years old because he suffered from a rare neurological disease.Rasmussen Encephalitis was eating away the left side his braincausing seizures and paralysis.

Now, Hendrix wears a leg brace, has partial blindness and isparalyzed on the left side.

"On a two-wheel bike,?I would always fall and I would get a lot ofinjuries," he laughed.

It's clear nothing changed in his heart. Hendrix is caring,thoughtful young man who plays all the adaptive sports as a risingsenior at South High.

Last month, he was playing basketball with a friend at a park at34th and Pleasant Avenues in south Minneapolis. He had locked thetrike at the corner. When he returned a half hour later, the lockwas there, but the bike was gone.

"It felt like its one step forward, two steps back," said Hendrix'mom, Katie. "Here's?this kid, all of his?buddies get theirdrivers license and he depends on his bike."

Friends have set up websites to help in the search. Trikes like theone stolen can cost up to $1,000. Police thought it would turn up,because it's so unique. One month later, still no bike. Startingthis fall, Hendrix will walk to his new job 20 blocks away.