Big donor steps in to help 9-year-old NC boy who was robbed selling lemonade

The armed robbery of a Union County boy’s lemonade stand on Saturday has a happy ending, but not because the robber was apprehended with an ill-gotten $17.

Nine-year-old Mark David was peddling his lemonade to buy a riding mower, and Lowe’s has decided to give him one for free.

On Monday, the chain of home improvement stores delivered a decked out Troy-Bilt Pony to his home outside of Monroe. It has a 7-speed transmission, twin blades, mulching capability and can mow in reverse. Retail price: $1,099.

Video posted on Facebook by WSOC reporter Liz Foster showed the boy was still selling lemonade when a delivery truck pulled up with his new lawnmower. He appeared speechless, managing a barely audible “wow” and a “thank you” during the surprise presentation on the sidewalk.

Lowe’s issued a statement saying it heard other people in the community were trying to help the boy and wanted to join them.

“We watched the news over the weekend and heard neighbors were collecting money to buy Mark David a riding lawn mower,” Lowe’s spokeswoman Sarah Lively said in a statement. “We love Mark David’s ambition ... Providing a riding lawnmower will allow him to continue that entrepreneurial spirit for years to come.”

People have rallied behind the boy in the past few days with cash donations, raising $256, reported WCNC.

Union County investigators have not announced any new leads in the case. The sheriff’s office issued a press release Sunday saying the robbery occurred about about 3 p.m. Saturday near the entrance to the St. John’s Forest neighborhood.

The robber “stuck a black handgun to the boy’s stomach, demanded money and fled the scene on foot,” the press release said.

Investigators searched a nearby wooded area on Saturday and found clothing and a BB handgun that may have been used by the robber, according to the release.

This story was originally published August 7, 2018 at 4:35 PM.