New bike for Big Walk's littlest hero

LONG after participants at the Wholesome Bread Cape Town Big Walk crossed the finish line at the Green Point Track and joined the post-walk celebrations, the crowd erupted in applause.

Their cheers were for two ardent walkers, 63-year-old Amara Elkin who suffers from Huntington’s disease and walks with a walking aid, and 9-year-old Adam Sonday who accompanied her on the 10km walk.

“It was the first time I did the Big Walk. I met a friend and told her I need a hat, I need a hat. I was so hot by the end, I nearly collapsed. I thought no I can’t handle the heat, but he (Adam) walked with me for 10km,” Elkin said yesterday.

Cheers of the other participants and the company of her little helper, kept her going, she said.

“He’s Sadia’s (my caretaker’s) grandson. He did a great job helping me across the finish line. Apparently I was the last person to finish,” said Elkin.

Prizes awarded during a lucky draw at Sunday’s celebrations included a R50 000 trip to Thailand for two, a TV set, and two mountain bikes. After one of the bikes were won, the organisers heeded calls from the crowd to give Sonday the other bike. They visited Elkin and Sonday yesterday and gave the boy the bicycle. What he did was admirable, they said.

Said a smiling Sonday: “I walked with Amara and I won the bicycle and I feel happy.”

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PICTURE: TRACEY ADAMS/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) REWARD: Nine-year-old Adam Sonday was the recipient of a bicycle presented to him by the Cape Town Big Walk’s office manager, Saaide Waggie. In the background are his family and friends as well as Amara Elkin (green dress). Sonday asisted Elkin as she...