DENVER – Seeing Gil Carpenelli’s big smile this month was a huge relief for Eric Guetterman.
His longtime pal is a fixture in Denver who can be seen rolling his distinctive bike all over town – making friends wherever he goes.
But recently, Eric – who owns E-Force Bikes in northwest Denver — said Gil’s friends became worried recently when he disappeared for several weeks.
“People from the rec center, people from the American Legion were reaching out saying, ‘hey, is Gil all right? Is Gil doing okay?’ They were worried about him,” said Eric.
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Gil is hard to miss on that decked-out blue trike, which is definitely a showstopper.
“It’s always this very creative individual expression of himself with the mufflers, the extra lights and with the horn,” said Eric.
He’s made friends at Denver fire stations and loves to ride his bike to senior dances and to worship.
“I ride to church, they got the organ pipes in there,” said Gil, who joined Eric outside E-Force Bikes wearing a sweet jacket given to him by the crew at Denver Fire Department Station 6.
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Along with the jacket, Gil was all suited up in Denver Nuggets gear.
“Michael Porter is my favorite Nuggets player,” Gil chimed in.
Another one of his favorite stops is the bike shop where he loves to pitch in and help. “We’ll have people shout out while driving by – ‘hey Gil!’ seeing him handing out in the front,” said Eric.
“I just come here to help out,” Gil added.
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Gil’s life is full – partly thanks to his bike – which unfortunately is permanently parked behind the shop.
“I hit a pothole and cracked the frame,” he said.
When Gill, a person with autism, lost his wheels, he lost some of his freedom and connection to his circle of friends.
Eric Guetterman
“His bike or his tricycle gives him so much independence,” added Eric. “He lives a really fulfilled and rich life with all of his friends he has.”Which is why Eric is determined to get Gil back out there.“We’re trying to get enough money on this GoFundMe campaign to get Gil a new trike,” said Eric.
Eric and the community are looking to set Gil up with a quality bike and all the safety gear to get him rolling around Denver better than before.
“Most of these higher quality electric trikes are between $3,000 and up to $7,000 or more, but we wanted to definitely have a fund that we’re going to put aside in a separate account that will just keep Gill’s maintenance going,” said Eric.
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Gil, who puts hundreds of miles on his bike, needs some extra cushion for the bumps and potholes that inevitably come down the road.
“He rides pretty rough, he’ll get bent rims – so we’re looking for a fat tire bike so the potholes don’t impact him as much,” said Eric.
They want to add a speaker so he can listen to his favorite band (‘The Mom and Dads’) while he’s riding.
Gil is ready, too, as he’s already picked out mufflers and extra safety lighting for his future ride.
“We got to get the tire liners so that he doesn’t get thorns in his tires for winter riding – so he can ride in the snow safely. We want to have a stockpile of the more common maintenance items. We’re going to get a spare chain, spare electrical parts so that if it does break down, we can get him on the road in a day or two,” he said.
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Gil’s condition requires that he have a live-in caregiver to help with basic tasks.
“He’s very functional and able to transport around Denver and interact with people, but most of his social network are, in a way, unofficial caregivers, too,” Eric said. “With his condition, it is really important for him that he stays on these routines, and the routine and the habits are very important to him, and so he’s very limited right now.”
When those wheels rolling across that pavement are your freedom and connection to happiness, it’s hard to put into words the feeling of what’s missing – when your bike no longer works.
But thank goodness for good friends who’ve got your back.
“His regular routine is what keeps him happy but it also enriches the people’s lives that he crosses paths with,” said Eric. “If Gil quit coming here, I’d miss him.”
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Once they raise enough money for a new bike and long term maintenance, Eric said they’ll throw a celebration to thank everyone who opened their hearts to give.
“I think we’re excited that the community loves him so much and knows him so well that they are pitching in to not only get him a safe ride but also a reliable ride and a little bit of funds to keep him on the road for years to come,” said Eric.
As of Friday afternoon, the campaign was just a couple thousand dollars away from the goal. Once he gets his new ride, Denver7 will take you along to see Gil’s big smile rolling through Denver.
“Thank you for helping me,” he said.
You can watch the video report in the player below and donate at this link.
Get Gil riding again: Denver fixture in need of new bike to get his freedom back
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