Georgia Tech student gets new specialized bike after other stolen

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - A Georgia Tech student with mobility issues had his specialized bike he uses to get back and forth between classes on campus was stolen.

Thanks to the generosity of a FOX 5 News viewers, Marquavious Barnes received a brand-new bike.  Georgia Tech police, faculty, and staff presented him with the special gift Friday afternoon.

The three-wheeled specialized bike was a gift from an anonymous donor.

"I just want to thank everybody for their support," said Barnes' mother.

Donations started pouring in after someone stole Barnes' bike near the North Avenue Marta Station on Sunday. He suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was six years old and had his special bike from the time he was eight years old.

The 22-year-old Georgia Tech Excel student used the bike to get back and forth to class.

Donations started pouring in when his mother launched an online campaign to replace it and the media reported on the young man's plight.

"We were inundated with phone calls and emails from the community just asking for ways that they could help," said Captain Carla Cook, Georgia Tech Police Department.

The family, working with police reached their goal in just a few days, with strangers donating more than $3,000.

"The plan for this weekend we were going to go to a bike shop and pick up a bike for him but some anonymous person just went ahead and had one shipped to the police department," said Capt. Cook.

The special delivery from an anonymous donor showed up on the Georgia Tech Police Department's doorstep Thursday. It was a brand-new bike. Officers and staff presented it to Barnes Friday afternoon.

"We're going to be taking him to a bike shop to get a new lock, maybe a tracker on it in case this one goes missing," said Capt. Cook.

RELATED: Thieves steal bike from Georgia Tech student with mobility issues