Claudia Murry is just like most other teenage girls, except for one thing.
The 13-year-old Ocean Grover has Dejerine Sottas Syndrome, but that’s not what sets her apart from most other kids her age.
Claudia has a fascination with motorcycles, in particular the ones that annually attend the Geelong Toy Run.
You’ll find Claudia at the front of her aunt’s house in Portarlington every year to see the bikes cruise past.
She loves the sound and pretty much everything about them.
So Brendan and Helen Marretta decided to organise a ride for Claudia.
Brendan participates in the Toy Run and in 2016 he stopped to say hi to Claudia. In 2017 he stopped again and gave Claudia a movie voucher as a Christmas present.
Claudia wanted to return the favour in 2018 but after searching the road in Portarlington she couldn’t find him so ventured to Queenscliff to have another search to no avail. Brendan was unable to attend the Toy Run in 2018 due to other commitments.
Through the power of social media she obtained Brendan’s address and sent Brendan’s daughter Zarah a Smiggle voucher for Xmas which Zarah used to buy a new school bag for this year when she starts school.
Riders from all over Geelong, and even some from Melbourne, flocked to participate in Ride Around the Bellarine for Claudia.
Around 25 motorcycles headed off on a loop around the peninsula, but there was a catch – Claudia didn’t know. It was a surprise.
The riders set off and made a pit stop out the front of Claudia’s house in Ocean Grove where she was there to see it all unfold.
To say Claudia was surprised is an understatement.
“Claudia never is short of something to say but the turnout and the chance to ride on a bike made her speechless,” mum Jonique said.
Brendan then took Claudia and Jonique on a memorable ride.
“The first thing Claudia said at the end of the ride was ‘that’s the most fun I’ve ever had’ and told her stepdad Nick that he needed to go out and get a trike,” Jonique said.
“Words cannot describe the gratitude Claudia and her family have for Brendan, wife Helen, daughter Zarah and all the participants that made this an everlasting memory. Brendan himself is a saint and an amazing individual.”
Claudia and her family hope to have made lifelong friends with the Marrettas and the family feels forever indebted to Brendan, Jonique said.
