Child's walker taken, strangers help

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - On Sunday night, WAVY.com reported that a Newport News family had a walker taken from their front yard.

The walker was used by their 3-year-old son who can't walk without it. We received several calls from generous viewers who wanted to help.

One of the calls came from a Virginia Beach family that knows all too well the challenges of children using walkers. They've had medical challenges with their children, so they knew what the Fort Eustis family was going through.

Three-year-old Gavin McGinnis lives with cerebral palsy. Someone took the walker he uses to get around from the front of his house at Fort Eustis. Our report caught the eyes of Dan and Melissa Woodall.

"We know how hard it is for a child who wants to walk, and then you take the walker away from that child," said Melissa Woodall.

They know that because Walter, who is now six, was born nine weeks premature along with his twin sister. Walter weighed only 2 pounds 15 ounces. He was in intensive care for three months. He had serious hip issues, couldn't walk, but through little miracles Walter rebounded.

"Oh my god, it was the happiest day of my life. I'd be lying if I didn't say it was the happiest day of my life. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't," said Dan Woodall on how he felt when Walter went out for T-Ball.

Walter no longer uses the walker. He jumps and chases his sister, and she chases him. Walter plays a lot of sports now and we asked him, "Basketball, and soccer and T-Ball, and you are able to play them all now aren't you. You don't have the walker, and you are able to run how does that make you feel?" With a big smile, Walter gave a thumbs up - "good," he said.

Quite frankly Walter doesn't need the walker anymore, so they loaded it up and gave it to 10 On Your Side, to give to Gavin McGinnis. We gave it to Lora McGinnis and Walter as they were leaving Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. It didn't take long for Gavin to climb in the walker and take off.

"This is our life. We need the walker for everything we do. To see him smiling says it all," Lora McGinnis said. "Thank you to the Woodalls from the bottom of my heart. We are very, very grateful."

Comparing the two walkers, Lora McGinnis said she likes the new walker from the Woodalls more.

"This is even better because this Walker goes in grass, so this is even better. When the other didn't go in grass, this one can. Thank you. Thank you so much," McGinnis said as she walked around the CHKD parking lot with Gavin.

Late Monday afternoon, Fort Eusits Investigators found the McGinnis walker. Someone took it from their front yard thinking it was being thrown away. The old walker was returned to the McGinnis family, so now they have two.