Nathan Wyman, 9, sold chances Saturday on a new bicycle he won in a promotion to raise funds for Tyler Wintle, 8, of Dexter, who has an inoperable tumor in his head. After pressing $254 and a few four-leaf clovers he had collected into the hands of the young local boy, Nathan drew the name of the lucky winner of the mountain bicycle.

That winner, Casey Jordan of Dexter, and his parents, Kevin and Anne Jordan, donated the bicycle back to Nathan. Nathan now plans to auction off the bicycle at the annual Dexter firefighters auction later this summer and donate the funds to the Make A Wish Foundation.

“I was really happy to help the family with the money,” Nathan, the son of Cathy and Melvin Wyman, said Wednesday.

And so were members of the Bud’s Shop ’n Save family in Dexter, Newport and Pittsfield, who raised more than $3,000 for the Wintle family at a chicken barbecue supper held Saturday.

Nathan’s act of kindness did not go unnoticed by readers of the Bangor Daily News, including Gov. Angus King. King sent the Dexter boy a letter expressing his appreciation for Nathan’s hard work and tireless efforts to his community and on behalf of his classmate.

“You deserve to be commended for your dedication to your friend,” King wrote. “You serve as an inspiration to us all. You show that the youth in Maine are capable of making tremendous impacts on the lives of others. You serve as a great role model for those around you,” the letter read.

King’s letter, received Wednesday, surprised Nathan. “I was very happy to get it,” the cheerful boy said. He intends to share the letter with his classmates today.

Anyone interested in helping the Wintles can send donations in care of Bud’s Shop ’n Save, 37 Church St., Dexter 04930, or to the Dexter Regional Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 233, Dexter 04930.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Thursday, June 06, 2002 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."