MADISON (WKOW) -- Hundreds of bikes are stolen in Madison every year and many are never found, but one particular stolen bike had an entire search party looking for it.
27 News looked at how a community, and complete strangers, helped a woman find a very special bike.
Michelle Page-Alswager rides for her son Jesse, who passed away at age 13 after complications with juvenile diabetes.
Page-Alswager says, "I got the bike back in 2005, after my son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes years before."
She's been riding for years, to raise money to fight juvenile diabetes, until one day in September when she realized her bike wasn't in the garage.
Page-Alswager said, "Having it stolen out of my garage was shocking."
And the timing was worse.
She said, "It was exceptionally devastating, coming up on what would have been Jesse's 15th birthday. I was feeling very distraught.. knowing I'd never see the bike again."
Michelle figured she'd never see it again, but still posted on Craigslist about the missing bike.
She didn't hear anything until what would have been Jesse's 15th birthday.
She said, "We were waiting all day for some kind of sign from Jesse. Lo and behold, I'm getting random calls from strangers on Craigslist, saying your bike is listed."
Madison police ended up finding the bike in a garage. Someone else had found it on the street and was going to sell it.
A priceless item back just in time for Jesse's birthday.
Page-Alswager added, "After you lose a child, you trip and fall once in awhile, but he just comes back at the right moment, reminding me he's still there.. he's okay. It's a nice reminder every once in awhile."
Police still aren't sure who ended up taking the bike out of Page-Alswager's garage. They believe someone took it for a joyride and left it on the side of the road.
The officers involved are now up for commendations for their role in finding her bike.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- A stolen bike, carrying more meaning than your ordinary bike, is back in the hands of its owner.
Michelle Alswager lost her son to complications related to juvenile diabetes in 2010. For the past year, she has ridden a bike in races around the country in honor of her son Jesse.
It had become a very important part of her life, a symbol of a son lost.
When it was stolen from her Whitlock Road garage on September 19, she was not at all confident it would ever come back, saying, "I wasn't all that hopeful, after all you rarely hear about bikes recovered."
But with the help of Madison police officers, and a little detective work off of Craigslist, Alswager's bike was returned.
Teresa Mackin is following this story, and will have the details tonight on 27 News at 5 and 6.
