3 days ago
Melbourne teen's treasured bike returned after help from community, police
The Brief
A Melbourne teen's bicycle, which belonged to his late father, was recently stolen.
The teen's mother took to Facebook to get help locating the bike, and they were able to track it down.
The family is grateful to the Melbourne community and the police department that helped them get the bicycle back.
MELBOURNE, Fla. - A Melbourne teen's treasure bicycle, given to him by his late father, was returned after being stolen thanks to help from the community and the police department.
What we know
A 15-year-old Melbourne teen was lifeguarding at Sherwood Park when he says someone stole his bicycle from the bike rack.
The teen, Landon Cangiano, and his mother, Nicole, were heartbroken. The bike belonged to Landon's father, Vinny, who died from COVID-19 complications in 2021.
Nicole Cangiano posted about the stolen bicycle on Facebook, hoping that someone would see it. Then, to her surprise, the post received more than 570 shares. A woman in the Melbourne community let Nicole Cangiano know that she saw the bike.
That's when Landon and his swim coach, who he was with at the time, went looking for the bike. They were able to find it, and they called the Melbourne Police Department, who helped them safely get the bike back.
What they're saying
The Cangiano family is now feeling grateful to the community that helped them get the bike that means the world to them.
"Just to see everybody come together, and they care about us, and they know our story, and it just feels so amazing," Nicole Cangiano said.
Nicole Cangiano said the bike's worth in terms of money meant nothing. "It was all about the memories that we have with the bike," she said. "So, seeing it go full circle and how important that was to us, I don't even know what to say. It was just so special, and I really feel like maybe Vinny had a hand in this. So, we definitely feel like that, because even the police officer said this doesn't happen."
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The Source
This story was written based on information gathered by FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte in interviews with Nicole and Landon Cangiano.
