Rose Antonson, 4, of Geneva has 10q Partial Trisomy, an extremely rare chromosomal disorder that that makes her, in the eyes of her mother Jennifer, a beautiful, one-in-a-billion child.

The same can be said of Rosie's older brother, Tommy, 8, who recently raised $1,304.75 so that children like his sister can have a chance to ride a bike.

At Monday's City Council  Committee of the Whole meeting, Mayor Kevin Burns began this Geneva story of hope and thanksgiving.

"Two (weeks) ago, it was a cold, rainy Saturday in the Tri-Cities, when this young man did something that ordinarily doesn't garner a whole lot of attention," he said.

Tommy was selling lollipops. He was going door-to-door, asking 25 cents each for a piece of candy that could make a disabled child's dream come true.

"It started last Christmas with a girl named Riley Christensen," Jennifer wrote to Geneva Patch. "She was looking at the website www.thebikerack.com to get her dad a bike."

When Riley saw the Hallmark Heroes YouTube video clip describing Project Mobility and Hal Honeyman's efforts at the Bike Rack, she decided that she wanted to help raise money for kids who would find joy in the freedom and mobility of an adaptive bicycle.  

Riley sent notes in her Christmas cards asking for donations to Project Mobility. With the help of Honeyman, Riley raised more than $12,000, and Rose was one of three surprise recipients of her own, three-wheeled miracle on Christmas Eve.

On Monday night, behind the podium and perched on a footstool provided by the mayor, Tommy told the City Council why he made up his own flyers and campaigned so hard on a cold a rainy Saturday.

"Just so I could get another special-needs kid a bike—to pay it forward," he said.

Burns asked Tommy what he thought it means, to pay it forward.

"That means you do good things," he said. "And if you do, other kids will do good, too."

Each bicycle costs between $3,000 and $4,000, said Tommy's and Rosie's dad, Jeff Antonson.

"Tommy, who is Rose's hero, decided to take it upon himself to pay it forward,"  he said. "It was his idea, his inception, his excecution."

Tommy presented the lollipop donations to Riley, who is raising money through a bike-a-thon this holiday season.

The thread of the story goes on, from fundraiser to fundraiser and storyteller to storyteller. You can read more in a Reader's Digest story and see more in the YouTube video of the Hallmark Heroes series hosted by Regis Philbin.

To make a donation, send a check 2930 Campton Hills Road, St. Charles, IL 60175, or visit the Project Mobility website here.