Written by Dr Jolanta Burke
A lively girl named Aoife lived in a cosy village in Ireland. Despite a big challenge she faced—being born without legs—Aoife woke up every morning with a big smile, ready to tackle whatever came her way. Everyone in the village adored her. Her laughter was like music to their ears, and her energy was so contagious that chatting with her put everyone in a great mood.
Aoife found happiness in the little things around her village, like hearing the leaves rustle in the wind, watching the river flow, and feeling the warm sun on her face. She also loved watching bugs crawl (she knew all the bug names), and listening to birds singing.
She was always full of joy, but a tiny bit of sadness hung over her every now and then. Even though everyone around was so lovely, she never felt like she truly belonged. She always felt different. There were always activities she could not join in, like running in the forest, cycling a bike, or jumping on a trampoline. All she could do was watch from the sidelines how her siblings and other children from the village enjoyed them.
Aoife cosied up by the window one rainy Irish morning. She could hear her sibling’s voices in another room as she watched raindrops slide down the glass. She reached out and started to trace shape patterns in the mist on the window. Suddenly, a knock made her heart jump. Her mom hurried to answer it, and Aoife stretched out her neck to see who it was. A stranger held an umbrella at the door to shield himself from the rain.
“Hi,” said the man with a warm smile. “I’m Frank from ‘Variety, a charity for children’, and I have a surprise for you.”
Aoife’s eyes widened with excitement. Her mammy told her about ‘Variety’, but she didn’t expect them to visit her.
“A surprise for me?” Aoife asked excitedly.
Frank nodded, his smile becoming broader. “Yes! We’ve heard about you and wanted to do something special.”
Aoife’s heart raced. ‘What could it be? A cool toy? A fun adventure? I know!’ Aoife thought, ‘Maybe I am getting a new wheelchair.’ She had always wanted a red wheelchair.
“Am I getting a new wheelchair?” – Aoife gasped, looking at her mum and then again at the man from Variety – “A red wheelchair that I have always dreamt of?”
Her mum, dad and siblings have all giggled in response.
“Maybe” – said Frank, winking at her daringly – “So, do I hear right that you like red?”
“Yes” – Aoife chuffed – “a crimson-red colour is my favourite”.
“Your wish is my command” – chuckled Frank, playfully curtsying to Aoife.
Aoife could not contain her excitement “Hurray, hurray!” she exclaimed joyfully.
As days passed, Aoife’s excitement bubbled up. She imagined all her adventures in her new, crimson-red wheelchair.
One day, the team from Variety, who were super good at making stuff, returned to her house with their tools. They set up a workshop under a gazebo in her garden and began to work.
“Hey Aoife, are you ready for your special surprise?” one of them asked, smiling.
Aoife’s eyes lit up with excitement as she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I can’t wait! Thank you so much for doing this for me.”
The men began to work. They measured her old wheelchair and then the new wheelchair. They drew something in their notepads, then made lots of noise with hammers, saws, and other tools she had never seen before. The wheelchair they were making was a different shape to the old one she had.
Throughout the day, all the neighbours stopped by. One brought a homemade elderflower cordial for all the workers to enjoy. Another came with lunch. Yet others brought in some strange gifts.
Maggie from next door gave her colourful tassel ribbons to decorate her new wheelchair. Triona gave her stickers with all sorts of bugs to stick on. And Sinead gave her the prettiest bell with a white daisy in the middle. Aoife was grateful for their thoughtfulness but wondered where she would stick all of them on. Don’t they know that a wheelchair does not need tassel ribbons, stickers, and a bell?
“Never mind” – Aoife thought joyfully as she watched the Variety men at work.
“Be careful with that saw, Frank,” Aoife heard one of them say to the other.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” Frank replied confidently.
But a big storm suddenly hit the village when everything was going well. Rain poured down, and it seemed like everything, including their hard work, would be washed away.
“Oh no, the storm!” one of the workers cried out in panic as Aoife’s mum pushed her wheelchair inside the house.
The men working on her bike tried their best to protect everything, but the garden workshop soon flooded, and all the wheelchair parts were underwater.
Aoife felt her heart sink. She used to love the rain when it created mist on the window and she could draw shapes in the mist with her finger. But today, each drop of rain washed her dreams away. She felt so sad and hopeless.
“What are we going to do now?” Aoife asked, her voice shaking with worry.
But there was still hope even in the middle of all the chaos.
“Don’t worry, Aoife. We’ll find a way.” one of the Variety men said, sounding determined.
And they didn’t give up. They worked hard all day and all night to save what they could. Any missing parts were soon replaced with the bits and pieces that neighbours from the village dug out in their sheds. Soon, the wheelchair was ready.
“Wow!” Aoife exclaimed, feeling a rush of happiness. It was covered with a red blanket, not the crimson-red shade she liked, but it didn’t matter. After all, she knew that underneath it was her new wheelchair, and hopefully, they made it crimson-red as she asked.
Finally, the reveal moment came. As the Variety man lifted the blanket, Aoife saw the strangest wheelchair she had ever seen. “Wait”, she said, confused. “It is not a red wheelchair—it is a red tricycle”, Aoife exclaimed with joy.
Her eyes widened in amazement as the man explained that Variety charity recycles bikes for children with disabilities. They made a bike just for her that would fit her perfectly regardless of her missing legs. This unique gift, tailored to her needs, filled her heart with disbelief and joy.
Aoife’s new tricycle stood tall and proud, shining in the sunlight like a precious ruby. Overwhelmed with emotions, Aoife looked at it in amazement. But what she saw was not only its crimson-red metal frame or the tassel ribbons Maggie gave her, the bug stickers she got from Triona or the daisy bell from Sinead. Instead, she saw a symbol of freedom and endless possibilities in the crimson bundle of joy.
Aoife’s heart swelled with gratitude and excitement. The possibility of riding alongside her friends and family filled her with an overwhelming sense of joy.
“Come on, Aoife, let’s see how it rides!” Frank from Variety said excitedly.
With shaky hands and a heart bursting with joy, Aoife climbed onto her new bike. As she pedalled, her siblings and neighbours cheered her on, their voices echoing through the village.
“Look at me, I’m riding!” Aoife shouted, her smile lighting up the whole street.
Everyone, united in their support, watched in amazement Aoife zooming past them. The village rang with laughter and cheers as she raced around, feeling like she was flying.
Soon, her siblings joined her in a bike race.
In that magical moment, everyone felt a sense of wonder—a reminder of the amazing things people can do when they work together. As Aoife pedalled on, her hair bounced in the air, and laughter carried over the breeze. She was filled with awe. A feeling that brought together a mix of emotions. On the one hand, she felt fear at the speed of her tricycle. At the same time, she felt like she was floating in the air and seeing the beauty of nature she loved so much from a different perspective. As she focused on practising her tricycle riding skills, she felt deep gratitude towards her family, friends, and the people from the Variety charity who made it the happiest day of her life.