A seven year old's birthday wish comes true with the ride of a lifetime

Today it's a seventh birthday that a Machesney Park girl will never forget. Young Starlit shined bright with her new birthday present, an adaptive bike.

Starlit Hauser Thomas has cerebral palsy, who's always dreamed of riding a bike. But due to weakness on the right side of her body, she can't ride a traditional bike.

The nonprofit Special Bikes for Special Kids teamed up with the Chicago Shriners Hospital to make Starlit's birthday wish come true.

They worked with a bicycle supplier called Project Mobility giving the Hauser family an adaptive bike, free of charge.

"It gives her a lot more independence to be able to move on her own, groove on her own and ride on her own now. Right Starlit. It is bright.. She's been looking forward to it for so long and this bicycle will really help for her to get her exercise and stretch her hamstrings and just really get her out there a little more often." Says Starlit’s mother, Stephanie Hauser.

Since the start of the Special Bikes Program in 2011, the Chicago Shriners Hospital has purchased 71 adaptive bikes for patients like Starlit, costing more than 200 thousand dollars.