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Community replaces Tucson girl's stolen wheelchair

Posted at 9:50 PM, Nov 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-03 01:16:33-04

A Tucson girl's wheelchair was stolen Halloween night, leaving her with no way to get around. 

But it wasn't long until community members stepped in to get Millie her wheels back. 

When Monika Chavez realized her daughter's wheelchair was stolen, she was heartbroken. 

"Knowing that was her only way of getting around," Chavez said. "Also frustrating that somebody would take something from a special needs child or anybody that's in a wheelchair."

12-year-old Millie has epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Without her wheelchair, Millie wouldn't be able to do many of the things she loves to do.

"She can't ride the bus to school, she can't do her normal activities, like folklorico, skating, coming to the park. She loves to go for walks," Chavez said. 

Chavez created a post on Facebook about Millie's missing wheelchair on Thursday. It's custom made and not easy to replace, usually costing thousands of dollars. 

Within hours, the post was shared over 1,000 times. Many people were determined to get back Millie's stolen chair, or set her up with a new one. 

On Friday, Millie was given a stroller to help her get around again. Chavez was also given a check for a new custom wheelchair for Millie. 

Millie got her wheels back and that makes her very happy.