Jayceon Jackson requires a wheelchair due to spinal muscular atrophy. When his family’s car was stolen, his wheelchair was too. That’s when the community stepped in.
FINDLAY, Ohio — Someone stole a Jeep from a Findlay family of five.
But the crook stole more than that. Inside was a one-of-a-kind wheelchair for a little boy who relies on it.
Brittany Jackson says her son is back to living his life thanks to the power of social media and after police found the SUV.
5-years-old, little Jayceon Jackson needs his specially-designed wheelchair to move around.
“Jayceon has spinal muscular atrophy which he can move his legs. He can move around but with his lower body strength, he can not bear any weight. So the wheelchair is literally his transportation,” Jackson said.
But on Tuesday, someone took all of that away.
“I went outside to get in my car that was not there. I ran upstairs hoping that my husband had left with it. He was still in bed. Right away we called the police,” Jackson said.
The mother of three realized someone had stolen her Jeep, with Jayceon’s wheelchair inside.
She quickly took to social media and made an emotional plea asking the northwest Ohio community for help and they were able to locate the Jeep.
A Fostoria police officer saw the post and with a tracking device, they found the Jeep in Fostoria.
“The first thing my husband and I did was we ran to the back of my Jeep in hopes to see the wheelchair that was not there. So, I’m a horrific mess,” Jackson said.
Jackson then asked for help again.
Sure enough, someone called to let her know the wheelchair was about 25 miles away in Seneca County.
“It was just phenomenal to see so many people on social media concerned about the wheelchair. Like they knew how much that means,” Jackson said. “I mean, he’s an innocent little boy and to think that someone could do what they did to his wheelchair broke my heart.”
Jackson credits God, her community and Findlay and Fostoria police.
Meanwhile, Jayceon is thankful too.
“Can you tell everyone ‘thank you for finding my wheelchair?'” Jackson said.
“Thank you for finding my wheelchair,” Jayceon said.
After missing school on Tuesday because of his missing wheelchair, Jayceon is back to business as usual.
His mom is grateful but has stern words for the thief.
“I will never understand how you thought it was okay to throw my son’s wheelchair in a horse pasture, and his Easter egg basket,” Jackson said. “And just I hope that you find God and that he forgives you for what you’ve done because I know that it will be tough for me to do the same.”
If you have any information regarding the thefts, call the Findlay Police Department at 419-424-7150 or the Fostoria Police Department at 419-435-8573.