When Rifle resident Pamela Nelson looked outside her window the morning of what would be her last round of radiation treatment for breast cancer, she found that her car, which she owned for many years, was nowhere to be found. Sometime between 1:30 and 6 a.m. somebody stole her Honda SUV, which had a handicap sticker on the dash, her dog’s car seat in the front and a walker in the back.

She immediately reached out to her community. Since Nelson posted her story on Rifle Connected on June 18, she has received dozens of comments from Rifle residents wanting to help. In 13 days, 10 people have raised $685 for her and her dog Maggie through a Go Fund Me campaign.

On June 21, just nine days after her car stolen, Nelson received word from Grand Junction police that her car had been recovered.

“I was preparing to go down to Glenwood Springs for my last round of radiation treatment and I looked out the window and my car was gone,” she said.

She said she had developed a dialogue with people on Rifle Connected since starting treatment, and used it to reach out to her community once again.

“It’s very humbling to have this kind of support,” she said. “It brought me to tears several times.”

When her vehicle was recovered it had just been detailed, but it still needed other repairs.

While the Go Fund Me campaign was set up to help Nelson purchase a new vehicle, with her car’s recovery those that supported her said she should use it for any repairs she may need.

She said the vehicle was recovered with a key broken off in the ignition. In just a few hours, a member of Rifle Connected stepped up and fixed it for her no charge.

She said she is feeling good and blessed and thanked all who supported her over the past several months.

“To lose our car was the last straw,” she said. “The people that have joined to help me… I feel loved and embraced by my community.”