When Spotsylvania County Sherrif's deputies first heard the story of Mark Cunningham they knew they had to help out.
Cunningham relies on a bike to get from from his home to his job at a nearby hotel. But his bike disappeared after he left it for a brief moment while running an errand one day.
Deputies responded when he filed a police report.
“And when they went out and they heard his story, they came back into the office and told some of our command staff,” Cpt. Charles Carey said.
The deputies learned that 15 years ago, the father of three was in a crash that left him in a coma for three months. When Cunningham awoke, doctors expected he would never walk nor talk again.
But Cunningham proved them wrong.
While both physically and intellectually impaired, he learned to walk just as his young girls were learning to walk.
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The deputies teamed up with Walmart to get him a new bike and a Walmart gift card.
"That just kind of touched our hearts that no matter what he continued to work, he continued to try and strive on," Carey said. "He was overjoyed with the thought that someone in the community cared enough to provide him with a new bicycle."
Cunningham said he doesn't plan to use the gift car for bike accessories.
“I’m going to definitely have to buy them a thank you gift," he said.
