A local community is rallying around an 8-year-old boy, that is hard of hearing, whose family says he was recently the victim of a cruel prank.
The boy’s father said, while he and his son shopped at the Southington Target on Saturday, three men approached them, claiming to be from an internet show.
Gabe Lyles was tricked into thinking he was being given a free shopping spree and was crushed when he found out it wasn’t real. Gabe’s father says his heart sank when he realized his son had been duped.
“It devastated me because the very last thing I ever want to do is hurt him,” said TJ Lyles.
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TJ said he and his son had been shopping at Target when three men approached claiming to be from an internet channel that rewards people for doing challenges. When Gabe told them he was hearing impaired, they said that’s why they chose him.
“The lead person out of the three immediately said, 'That’s what we were looking for, somebody that had a disability,'” said TJ.
The three men asked Gabe and his father to take a blindfolded challenge. If Gabe could fill a shopping cart in 30 seconds, they would pay for it. But they were tricked.
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“We had the blindfold on and at the 10-second marker, I hear footsteps running,” TJ said, explaining that his son was in tears.
Hearing about the situation, Southington’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities reacted.
“I got angry. If I’m being honest, very, very angry to hear that they would target this child,” said the commission chair, Melissa Lapila.
“The first thing we said was, 'What can we do?'” said Commission Vice Chair Mary Barbagallo.
Advocating for the boy, they bought a Target gift card. Target matched the contribution and together they were able to present Gabe with $400, providing a real shopping spree.
“It made me happy when they gave me the gift cards,” said Gabe. “I was almost crying in my head.”
Gabe’s father is also appreciative.
“It made me cry,” he said. “They are such fantastic people.”
With the gift cards, Gabe once again filled a shopping cart and says he brought home games, water balloons, nerf toys and lots of stuff for outside.
