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Days After A Meridian Man's Wheelchair Is Stolen, Donation Provides For Him And Others

@andrewghayes
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During halftime at Friday's Boise State football game at Albertsons Stadium, a Meridian man's wheelchair was stolen. A search for the chair Monday proved unsuccessful, but a gift from a Boise entrepreneur will provide him and several others with new mobility.

Nathan Ogden was paralyzed in a skiing accident over a decade ago. At the Boise State game against Virginia, his wife carried him from their seats in the stands to where his wheelchair was parked – only it wasn’t there. Someone had stolen Ogden’s wheelchair, his main way of getting around.

KTVB reports after an unsuccessful search for the chair, the founder of Bodybuilding.com, Ryan DeLuca, made a $20,000 donation to an online fundraiser to get Ogden a new set of wheels.

Ogden says the donation more than covers the cost of new chair for himself. He plans to give the rest of the money to a charity that supplies wheelchairs to kids and people in need around the world.

In a twist of fate, before his wheelchair was stolen at Friday’s football game, Ogden spent the summer raising funds to buy wheelchairs for those who can’t afford them. He says having his own chair stolen has only strengthened his resolve to get wheelchairs to disabled people without them.

For more local news, follow the KBSX newsroom on Twitter @KBSX915

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