Man with Down Syndrome Whose Golf Cart Was Stolen Given Replacement: ‘I Love It!’

Matt Gibbons peeked outside his house on Friday and saw a massive surprise waiting just for him in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I see the cart! My own golf cart is here,” Gibbons exclaimed, KETV reported Saturday.

'Driving this thing is awesome': Man-with-Down-syndrome's stolen ride replaced https://t.co/FmyMCq0tyc

— KETV NewsWatch 7 (@KETV) June 11, 2022

In May, the man who has Down syndrome found out his trusty golf cart had been stolen along with his independent lifestyle.

However, when BMK Golf Carts in Florida heard what happened they decided to ship him a replacement.

“Matt’s Ride has arrived!!! For everyone who has followed this story, we want to share the happy return of independence for Matt Gibbons,” the company wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page that had been created to raise money for a golf cart brought in $14,516:

Hello everyone, my name is Mike Gibbons. Earlier this week, my little brother Matt, who happens to have Down Syndrome, had his golf cart stolen out of my parent’s backyard where it was secured.

Matt works at the church part time and used the cart to get there because he is not able to drive a regular car. The cart was one of his only avenues for independence and mobility. He lives with and relies on my retired folks otherwise.

Now, the man is back on the road.

“Driving this thing is awesome,” commented Gibbons, who also uses the cart to explore his neighborhood. “I love it!”

Social media users expressed their joy over the gift, one person writing, “There are some very kind people still around in this world! So happy for Matt. Thank you to the company in Florida for stepping up and helping Matt out!”

“That company is a class act! Kudos to you,” another said.

Down syndrome was defined as “a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21,” according to the Mayo Clinic’s website.