A local disabled Navy veteran was planning to compete in a bike race this weekend, but his custom made bike was stolen from his garage in UTC.
Ian Dosland, a new father and a poly-sci major at UCSD, is biking 150 miles to help raise money for Multiple Sclerosis.
“I am going to be doing the ride in honor of my mom who was diagnosed with MS,” he said.
Dosland, a disabled US Navy veteran, lost the use of his legs after being diagnosed with a muscular disorder, so he uses a custom made hand-cycle.
“It's an important part of the ride, cause you are struggling for someone who is struggling,” Dosland said.
On Monday, his bike was stolen out of his garage.
“I just started crying immediately. I said, ‘it’s not fair’. It takes a pretty awful human being to do something like that and to know what its for.
Using his Facebook page, he told strangers his story and the support started pouring in of people asking how they could donate to help pay for another bike.
“It's such a bad thing, that led to an amazing, amazing thing,” Dosland said.
In less than 24 hours, people had donated almost $3,800 dollars, which is more than enough for a new bike.
“Seeing the community come together, seeing everyone come together,” Dosland said. “People just have a lot of love and it’s really cool. There’s a lot more love than there is hate.”
Ian will pick up his new bike Wednesday. The rest of the money raised will go towards MS research.
