To say that 18-year-old Alicia Freeman is overjoyed with her brand new electric bicycle would be an understatement.
- Mother wins raffle for electric bike for her daughter
- Daughter has seizures
- Bike has special features for people with medical conditions
She was riding it Tuesday morning, ringing the bell on the bike.
Alicia’s mom shared a picture of her daughter in the hospital after she was run over by a truck when she was two years old. The accident cracked Alicia’s skull, leaving her with frontal lobe damage and seizures for the rest of her life.
That’s when her mother began researching electric bikes.
She learned an electric bike startup company named Flaunt was holding a raffle for breast cancer awareness and bought just one $6 ticket.
“I’ll buy a ticket, you know, what’s six bucks? It went to a good cause,” said Alicia's mother Kara Morrison.
A company co-owner recorded the moment on his cellular when he told Morrison she won.
“It's a way for anyone who has to rehab any sort of medical condition, it might be tough for them to ride a normal bicycle, it might be tough for them to get up hills or fight through the winds,” said co-owner Kevin Mount.
“I literally was crying. I said, ‘I can’t believe I won bike!' It was a blessing,” said Morrison.
Alicia is a senior in high school and hopes to attend college after she graduates.
Under Florida law, she can not drive a car until she is seizure free for at least a year.
Alicia will not be riding her bike to high school because it’s too far. However, she will be riding it to college which is just 15 minutes away.
“Or if I need to go to the pharmacy to get my medication, I can just use this bike,” said Alicia.
“I think a bicycle is the safest route for her because she’s not jeopardizing anyone else at this point,” said Morrison.
“If I did have a seizure, I just hit the brake and it will instantly stop the bike.”