MIDVALE, Utah — A boy with a rare genetic condition in Midvale is looking for his electric wheelchair that his family said was stolen from their parking lot.
"I was so excited. I was holding back tears recording this,” said Jayson Bird, showing a video of his son, Axton Bird, trying out his new electric wheelchair for the first time. “He came home, got off the bus and went wheeling up to the apartment right here, how cool is that?"
Axton is 11 years old and has Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (ACM).
"It is a very, very rare condition,” Jayson said. "One in 3,000 live births are born with it, and in fact, Axton kind of got the more brunt end of it, where most people don’t have it so severely in all four limbs as he does."
Axton can't bend his joints like other people, and his muscles are weak, so he can't walk much. Jayson has been hosting motorcycle rides to help educate people about his son's condition. He even tried to get him an electric wheelchair after insurance denied help.
"We waited five long years till our physical therapist found someone who gets old wheelchairs and parts them out, and make a new wheelchair,” explained Jayson.
Someone stepped in to build a chair for Axton, and others donated to help. He can steer his wheelchair using his elbow, so he doesn’t need to rely on anyone else.
"Not really fun when I have to be pushed around instead of not being able to just move,” said Axton.
But that's not the case anymore. They usually park the wheelchair tucked next to Jayson's motorcycle, but it wasn’t there on Tuesday morning.
"It’s just so, so hard to see that someone could take a child's independence away,” said Jayson.
They are looking for their missing wheelchair, worried about what could happen if they don’t get it back soon.
"It's going to be pretty difficult,” Jayson said. “I worry about him getting knocked over in the hallways by other kids. He loses balance pretty easy; he doesn’t have the use of his arms and hands, so if he were to fall over, he won’t be able to brace himself."
They hope to get it back soon.
"I would love to have it back so I can move myself once again,” Axton said.
The Unified Police Department is investigating the incident. If you have any information, you can contact non-emergency dispatch at 801-840-4000.
