‘She was more worried about her bike than herself’
On a carefree summer afternoon, Jasmine Markel was heading home on her bike when a scream warning her to be careful set in motion a near-tragedy.
Distracted by the scream, a truck driver turned toward the yell and her vehicle hit Jasmine, sending the six-year-old and her bike into orbit.
Jasmine’s injuries were considered life-threatening initially, but she escaped with a broken hip and multiple bruises. She’s been a trouper during her recovery, but inconsolable about the loss of her bike in the Aug. 22 collision. All was made better on Tuesday. After Jasmine’s physiotherapy appointment, her parents, Erin and Cameron Markel, pushed her wheelchair into Dutch Cycle. There, waiting for her, was a gleaming new lime green Kona Makena mountain bike, and an aqua helmet to replace the one that cracked upon impact with the truck’s grill.
Trying on the helmet, Jasmine giggled and said: “This is like a hat so that it doesn’t rain on you.”
Wheeling Jasmine closer to the bike, Fred Vandelinden, vicepresident of Dutch Cycle, told Jasmine: “This is going to replace the one that we can’t fix. The thing about this bike is that it is a biggirl bike.”
“Awesome!” Jasmine squealed before giving Vandelinden several exuberant high fives.
The business owner offered to donate a new bike and helmet when a member of the Regina Police Service (RPS) told Vandelinden how devastated Jasmine was about the loss of her bike.
“From what we heard from the officers, the helmet was the primary reason we were able to do this act of kindness and if I can do it again, I’d love to,” Vandelinden said.
He believes in paying back to the community that has supported his business for 55 years.
“We’ve done similar things for other people, and it’s actually become a thing that some of our customers have gotten behind and donate to it so we can keep doing good things like this,” Vandelinden said.
Tears ran down Erin’s face as she watched her excited daughter gaze at her newest bike.
“She’d just gotten that bike (the one trashed in the accident),” Erin said. “Her bike was stolen and then we got her a new bike and two days after that this accident happened. She was very upset. It was funny — she was more worried about her bike than herself.”
She and her husband were in awe that Vandelinden donated the bike, which retails for just under $500.
Erin remains shaken by her daughter’s close call.
“She was leaving on her bike and I said, ‘Jasmine, where’s your helmet?’ She said it was in the house and I said: ‘Well, you have to go put on your helmet.’ “