Saskatoon child robbed of independence after skateboard theft, mother says

Melania Keller had her skateboard stolen in Saskatoon on May 22. (Desiree Keeler/Facebook)

SASKATOON — A Saskatoon family is at a loss for words after their eight-year-old daughter had her skateboard stolen over the Victoria Day long weekend.

“It’s not about the cost of the skateboard,” Desiree Keeler said. “We just wanted to put it out there that whoever did take it, it wasn’t just a theft, it was taking away Milania’s independence, it was taking away her mode of transportation.”

On Saturday, the family of four, along with their two dogs, headed out for a family walk and stopped in at the Globe BMX track in the Lakewood neighbourhood. While her youngest son rode a couple of laps on the track, Keeler and her daughter Milania, a double-leg amputee, watched from a distance.

That’s when the thief struck, Keeler said.

“She might have been 10 feet behind me and someone had come up and taken her skateboard,” Keeler said.

While there’s nothing uniquely special about the skateboard, Keeler said it’s become her daughter’s favourite mode of transportation.

“She uses it almost every day, everytime we leave the house she takes it with her,” she said.

Keeler added that Milania learned how to ride the skateboard after meeting a fellow amputee and public speaker Chris Koch, who was born without limbs, and uses a skateboard to move around.

Keeler posted her story on social media and it has been shared hundreds of times. The family said it hopes someone sees the skateboard and returns it to Milania.

“She’s had it for a couple of years and has put a lot of miles on it,” Keeler said.