A man travelling the world by bike hit a roadblock in Laval, but since Global News covered his ordeal, Montrealers have been coming out in droves to offer help.
On May 3, Beijing native Yu Yang went into the Walmart in Sainte-Dorothée to get some groceries. When he came out, his bike and all of his supplies had been stolen.
Yang is in the midst of travelling by bike, by himself, from Argentina to Alaska. He’s been away from home for two years.
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The owner of Allo Velo in Griffintown said after hearing about Yang on Global News, he decided to offer the man a new bike.
“If we can do this for him, it’s our pleasure,” said Allo Velo’s Lamar Timmins.
Timmins said he’s travelled long distances by bike himself, and feels for Yang.
“I know what it’s like to be on the road alone that long. When you’re in times of need, it’s really nice to have people reach out,” Timmins told Global News.
Timmins offered Yang a bike handmade in Poland worth $1,500. Yang was hesitant to accept the gift — he still hopes to get his old bike back.
“Having a clear spirit is most important,” Yang said, expressing concern such a nice bike might distract him from his mission.
The bike shop owner is not the only one who wants to help.
“Yes, I heard the story from Global News,” said Ye Wang, a Chinese Montrealer who tracked down Yang and helped him find a place to stay. Wang immigrated to Canada 15 years ago.
“The Canadian part is welcoming people and trying to help them out. That’s the best part of being a Canadian,” she said, adding that more people were planning to donate camping equipment and other supplies. She said a few people were bringing things to her business, Cafe et Crepe.
Yang had told Global News that when he first arrived in Canada, he felt people were cold. He said people didn’t wave back when he waved.
Timmins too, couldn’t accept that.
“His comment was that a lot of the people he was meeting on the road in Canada were not so friendly with him, and I didn’t think that should be the case,” said the bike shop owner.
Wang and other members of the Montreal-Chinese community offered to buy Yang new bicycle cargo bags with money they had raised. He reluctantly accepted.
“I know they really want to help me,” Yang said. “I accept the gift because of their heart. Not because of the bags.”
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Yang said a Buddhist group offered him money they had raised, and he declined it.
“I told them to use this to help their temple,” he said to Global News.
He says even Air Canada offered to help.
“A man from Air Canada told me we can prepare an air ticket for you back to China. I told him, ‘Thanks,’ but I can never give up on my trip,” Yang said.
Another Montrealer, who runs a Facebook group called “Velo Volé” that seeks to help people find stolen bikes, said he rode around Laval looking for the bike on his own time for hours.
The Laval police are hoping with the public’s help, they can still catch the thief and get Yang’s bike back.
They posted a photo of the alleged thief online, captured from Walmart surveillance footage.
Yang will stay in Montreal a few more days in the hopes that his bike can be found. If it’s not, he’ll accept his gifts and continue on his long journey to Alaska.
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