Amber Conway jokes that her summer plans originally included camping, water sports “and not getting evacuated.”
Those plans changed when an evacuation alert was issued for her family’s home near 100 Mile House due to wildfires.
The Conways are now staying in Pitt Meadows.
WATCH: Latest from the B.C. wildfires
Back home, the Conways say, people don’t lock their front doors let alone lock up their bikes. So they left their bikes unlocked when they went swimming at Burnaby’s Central Park.
“When we went back to the car, we were just in disbelief that they were gone,” mother Cheryl Conway said.
“I was really surprised,” Amber said. “I didn’t know how someone could steal and feel OK with it.”
Lou Costa of North Vancouver’s Obsession Bikes heard what happened. His store collects donated bikes for a program called Bikes for Tykes.
He gave Amber and her brother Jordan fixed-up bikes and now they’re back on the road.
“I feel for those kids. I feel for all those families up there,” Costa said.
Cheryl said the donation serves as a reminder that “there are some really good people out there.”
– With files from Geoff Hastings