Daily Mirror

Max devastated as thugs wreck bike he relies on

Shocking discovery for Mirror donor law hero

- BY JEREMY ARMSTRONG jeremy.armstrong@mirror.co.uk @jeremyatmi­rror

THE boy at the centre of our campaign to change organ donation laws has been left devastated after vandals wrecked his beloved bicycle.

Max Johnson, who had a heart transplant in 2017, used his £325 mountain bike to get to and from school.

The 12-year-old left it there when he became breathless during lessons and was sent home.

When he returned he found the back wheel had been stolen and the back brakes and chain wrecked.

His civil servant dad

Paul, 47, said: “It is very disappoint­ing as the bike gave him the independen­ce to go to and from school with his friend.

“When we collected him that day we could not fit it in the car so we left it and it was damaged. He was very upset but after all he has been through he shrugged and I said ‘ We will get it sorted’ which of course we will.”

Family friend Ben Ireson has set up a GoFundMe page to buy Max a new bike.

It has a link to the NHS profile which explains the work he did during our campaign for a new organ donor law.

Ben said of his pal: “Max’s beloved bike has been vandalised. After months of shielding, he loved cycling to school.”

Max’s mum Emma, 50, said at the

family home in Winsford, Cheshire: “He was so very upset. His bike is his independen­ce. It is really important to him. I am very grateful to everyone concerned for offering to help. It is so very kind.”

England’s new organ donor law came into force in May and is named in honour of the campaign’s “poster boy” Max and his heart donor, Keira Ball, nine.

It is predicted to save or transform hundreds of lives every year.

And it is already having an effect with the NHS reporting a record number of organ donations by the BAME community, and crediting the huge publicity around the new legislatio­n.

TO donate to Ben’s campaign to buy Max a new bike, got to www.gofundme. com/f/max-johnson-new-bike.

He is so very upset because that bike made him independen­t

MUM EMMA ON CRUEL BLOW TO SON MAX

VICTORY Mirror campaign

 ??  ?? TRASHED Max’s bike after the vandals struck
TRASHED Max’s bike after the vandals struck
 ??  ?? BRAVE Max Johnson
BRAVE Max Johnson

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