Under the watchful eye of his grandmother Donna Attebury, right, Jake, 13, flies solo on his new Freedom Concepts Discovery bike.

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Published Sunday, February 6, 2005, in the San Jose Mercury News

“i’m outta here!''

And with that, 13-year-old Jake Atteberry exhuberantly sailed solo down the sidewalk on his new bright blue bike.

The taste of freedom is a big deal for Jake, who was born with cerebral palsy. The custom-made tricycle allows the teenager to enjoy getting around using nothing but his own strength. It has a high-back seat with seat belt and chest support, special foot plates and straps to anchor his feet so that he can pedal independently. Hoop-style handlebars let him steer himself.

"You can see from the pictures what the bicycle means to him,'' said Jake's grandmother, Donna Atteberry, who is raising her grandson in Mountain View.

Jake is experiencing pure exhilaration, thanks to Wish Book readers, whose donations also will make possible at least a couple of trips to SBC Park this spring and summer, when Jake's beloved San Francisco Giants once again take the field.