UPDATE: Wilmington disabled veteran’s stolen adapted bike returned

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — We have a happy update to a story of a Wilmington disabled veteran who had his adapted bike stolen.

Kevin Hebert’s bike was stolen last Saturday, but it has been returned by police.

Riding his bike is one of Hebert’s favorite pastimes and it’s something he worked very hard to be able to do.

When he was 19 years old, he served in the U.S. Air Force. That’s when he broke his neck, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.

After working with the VA in Boston, Hebert eventually relearned to walk with a brace on his legs. Two years ago, the recreation director at the VA worked with Hebert to get him his adapted bike.

“She asked me what I really wanted to do and what I missed most being in and out of a wheelchair, and I said riding a bike,” Hebert said. “It really increased my independence. I’m able to get out there, I don’t have to rely on the wife to push me, I can do it myself. It just gives you that feeling — I can do it myself and I’m in a really cool bike.”

In September, Hebert and his wife moved from Massachusettes to Wilmington — partially because of the great bike-riding weather.

“What’s amazing is since we’ve been here for six weeks, I’ve only missed four days of riding. You can’t get that kind of riding in Massachusettes, you can only get it down here,” Hebert said.

Hebert thanked the Wilmington community, law enforcement, and the media for helping him get his bike back.