Omaha Nebraska Police Raise Money for Injured Cyclist whose New E-Bike was Totaled

When Omaha police officers discovered that Kevin Thompson had been hit by a vehicle the first time he rode his brand-new barely-out-of-the box electric bicycle Friday night, they were determined to help.

They just never imagined how quickly the public would respond to their GoFundMe request to replace Thompson's $1,200 bike. The fund blew past that total in five minutes and in 45 minutes was up to $5,000.

Help Kevin Get his Bike Back has raised more than $13,000 since Saturday morning. All the funds will go to Thompson.

"I'm shocked but happy," he said. "I didn't know people were that generous."

The now-mangled bike was supposed to be Thompson's way of getting to work, about 6 miles from his apartment near 24th and Maple Streets.

It was also a replacement for another bike that had been stolen from in front of his home about a week earlier.

"It was like taking a kid's Christmas present on Christmas morning and smashing it in front of him," Police Lt. Dan Martin said of the accident. "It really resonated with us."

Thompson, who has had to ask a friend from his job at Modern Equipment for rides to and from work, had just put the bike together earlier Friday and was cycling home from Dollar General with some dinner items when he was struck near 30th and Pinkney Streets around 9 p.m.

The driver, whom Thompson thinks was driving a tan Tahoe with a bungee cord hanging from the door or window, did not stop after hitting him as the SUV turned on to 30th Street. Thompson was heading south in the bike lane after bumpy sidewalks forced him into the street. He had already been concerned about busy Friday night traffic.

"He hit me pretty solid," Thompson said.

Martin and Officers Tim Bosn and Josh Moore from the northeast precinct urged Thompson to go to the hospital after arriving on scene, but he declined, despite his injuries. He was worried about more medical bills, he said.

His broken bike wouldn't fit in a cruiser, so the officers flagged down driver Porsha Cook, who has a pickup truck. She drove the bike to Thompson's home and the officers followed.

As they fretted about how to get Thompson a new bike, the officers got the idea of starting a GoFundMe account. They asked Thompson if it would be OK.

"He was more than gracious to allow us to do that," Martin said.

Martin, with the backing of the Omaha Police Officers Association, of which he's a vice president, created the account later Friday night. He posted about it on the group's Facebook page Saturday morning.

"We are very shocked," Martin said. "I was hoping to get $1,200, which is what he said he paid for the bike. I was very excited when I looked at it."

One person even said let's keep it going and get Thompson a car.

Thompson, 62, spent Saturday resting on his couch due to a swollen foot and other aches and pains from the accident. He had to crawl to the bathroom that morning.

He hasn't been able to tell his boss yet that he'll likely miss some work as he recovers. He had just received a commendation for his job performance earlier Friday.

Although hurting, the whole situation is quite a turnaround from the desperation he said he felt after his first bike was stolen and he had to buy another.

"I couldn't express to them enough how pleased I was that they would go to that extent and try to help me," Thompson said. "That was pretty much a blessing."

Martin said the three of them felt so bad about Thompson's situation that they just wanted to help, as anyone would.

"You could tell the guy was struggling. This was his only mode of transportation," Martin said. "It was nothing other than just being human."

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