Dear friends,

I wanted to share something difficult that happened to my son, Noah (14), this weekend. If you've seen our socials, you’ll know that on Friday evening, he was attacked by two individuals in balaclavas who stole his mountain bike in an aggravated robbery. Thankfully, he came away with only minor injuries, but he was understandably shaken and very upset.

This wasn’t just any bike; Noah had worked incredibly hard to buy it. After two and a half years of saving his pocket money, redirecting birthday and Christmas gifts, and selling second-hand clothing and his game console, he finally got the Santa Cruz Hightower he had dreamed of. He’d only had it for 10 days.

This bike wasn’t merely a mode of transport; it was Noah’s passion and one of the few things that truly motivates him. It kept him engaged and active, pulling him away from screens and into the outdoors. Just last month, he competed in his first downhill race, and now, without a new bike, he may have to miss his next race at the end of this month.

Due to the nature of the theft, the police are actively investigating, but as time ticks on, it’s becoming clear that the bike is likely gone for good. This loss has hit Noah hard, and it’s tough to see his excitement for biking diminished.

We’ve been truly blown away by the love and care shown to Noah over the weekend, he's been in a very dark space. The sheer number of people— good friends, childhood friends I've not seen in 40+ years, army mates from 30 years ago, former bootcampers, Fiona’s coworkers, and long term friends, our community friends from cricket and rugby clubs and local area— the support has been incredible. It’s heartwarming to see such good people coming together to support our lad. This experience restores faith that those filled with kindness are the true majority. I hope this crowdfunding effort will help Noah see that there is more good than evil in the world.

To help him get back on track, we’re setting up a GoFundMe page to replace the bike. I know times are tough for everyone, but any support—whether it’s a donation or simply sharing this message—would mean a lot to us.

Thanks for being there for Noah and our family during this challenging time.

Thank you in advance,

Gary & Fiona