THORNTON — Until Peyton Watson walked into his life, little Noah had never ridden a bike with training wheels. A week later, he can’t stop. “Where did he go? Louisa Wagner asks. “NO-AH!” Louisa’s husband Harry shouts. “NOOOO-AAAAAH!!” Louisa cries. It’s the second day of winter, th ree days to Christmas, and 73 degrees in the shade. As we walk the trail around Carpenter Park Lake, the only response is the low rumble of a stiff breeze and the hiss of angry geese. We stop. Noah doesn’t. “I see him!” Louisa says. A tiny red helmet emerges from a grassy slope to our left, eyes locked on the road. Before long, we can make out two legs pumping like it’s the Col du Galibier. “Yep,” Harry says. “I see him. There he is.” Everybody laughs. Noah’s 5. Kid loves that bicycle. He’s some 200 yards ahead of us now, clear on the other side of the lake with the best Christmas gift he’s ever ridden. Up close, it’s a nifty scarlet number, with logos from Raisin’ Cane’s Chicken plastered all over the place. Louisa and Harry were among 100 Denver families last week to receive free kids’ bikes for their children, as part of a mass donation from Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers to A Precious Child, the nonprofit out of Broomfield. Watson, the Nuggets guard, partnered with Cane’s and A Precious Child on the gifting — appearing at the Cane’s restaurant in Northglenn to help distribute bikes, pose for pictures and sign autographs. “It’s a small stepping-stone in everybody’s life,” Watson, whose Nuggets host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena on Christmas night, reflected earlier this month. “Getting on that bike and feeling like you can’t balance it — you can’t do it at first, and then you start rolling and you figure it out fast. Just like jumping in the deep end of a swimming pool: You figure out how to swim, or you sink.” *** In 2025, some of us swam. Most of us just did the best we could to doggy-paddle through the year. It felt as if everybody knew somebody who lost a loved one. Or a home. Or a pet. Or a job. Watson knew those folks, too. Which is why, even though it hurt like the Dickens to cough, let alone laugh, he wanted to be in Northglenn to give families such as the Wagners a better end to a bittersweet year. Two Mondays ago, the Nuggets guard was playing against Houston when he took a shot between his rib cage and his right hip. He’d been removed from the game as a precaution. The next day, his sides were still barking. Watson’s uncle Brantley asked if he still wanted to go to the Raising Caine’s bicycle event in Northglenn. “Dude, how do you feel?” his uncle asked him. “We’ve got to do it,” Watson replied. “We’re committed to it. It’s for the kids.” Who were thrilled. Watson gave high-fives and signed stuff for more than an hour, smiling throughout, aching sides and all. At one point, a grade-schooler in a red Santa cap tootled past. “Like your hat,” Watson said. The kid looked up. And up. And up. His parents grinned. The Christmas Spirit crept into Watson’s soul a long time ago. He worked with local Boys Girls Clubs as far back as his prep days at Long Beach Poly High School. When Watson hosted his ELEVATE Summit this past October, a three-day event aimed at mentoring young men on basketball, finance and life, the Nuggets wing had the option whether to charge a fee or not. He footed the bill and made it a free camp. A Precious Child teamed up with Raising Cane’s for a second straight year giving away 100 bikes to 100 local kids. Each was also fitted for a custom helmet and Cane’s-related swag. It’s the sixth Christmas for Cane’s nationwide bike donations. The company is gifting more than 4,000 bicycles this year after giving away 2,500 in 2024. There are few things more universally loved for a kid, few items that defy creed, race, religion, the way a bicycle does. They are the two wheels that never leave you. It’s not just your favorite all-time gift. It’s most people’s favorite all-time gift. Watson grinned as he recalled receiving a red BMX bike from his grandpa when he was 5 or 6. The one that replaced it, which he graduated to at 8 or 9, is still in the garage back home. Because you’re invincible when you’re that age, P-Swat even rode that bike off a garage roof once. Another time, he found himself racing to the playground for a game once, missed a curb and went head-over-handlebars into the concrete. “His personality in the way he plays did carry over into how he rides bikes,” Brantley says. “He was always the one who would get hurt. … Peyton’s approach to basketball was kind of his approach to being a kid as well. Which is, ‘I’m going to ride this bike as fast as humanly possible,’ just like, ‘I’m going to run down the court as fast as humanly possible and see what happens.'” *** Louisa and Harry both lost their jobs earlier this year. They’re raising three kids they adopted last year while also fostering a 3-year-old. “I don’t mind, though, because I love spending time with them,” Louisa says, nodding at the kids. “I wasn’t having much time with them (before). It seemed like they knew the daycare people more than (us), because they were with them all day long.” The family contracted COVID-19 three times since January. She worries that the boys are immuno-compromised because of their birth mother’s drug use. Noah’s nose keeps running like Carl Lewis. His brother Adrian was hospitalized. “We’ve been sick, literally, for three months,” Louisa says. After one absence, Harry explained, his company told him they had to let him go. “I’m not worried,” he says. “I’m not stressed. When God shuts one door, He opens another door.” All this while moving from a two-bedroom to a three-bedroom apartment. The youngest boys share a bunk bed and take turns swinging like gymnasts from the top level to the floor. For 2026, Harry wants to get them rooms of their own. To have a backyard to run around in. “It’s kind of crowded,” Louisa says. “But we can take it.” A Precious Child has been one of those pillars in life’s storm, helping the Wagners with donated clothes, donated food, sundries, school supplies … “Diapers,” Louisa interjects. “Oh my goodness. Because they’re so expensive, you know?” Adrian wants to get into boxing. Louisa wants to get Noah and Roman to try soccer. As for basketball, let’s just say they’ve got a pretty good role model already lined up. “It’s (special) that there’s somebody who cares enough to share the wealth,” Harry says. “That’s real special. And that comes from the heart.” Related Articles Renck vs. Keeler: Is it time to panic about Broncos defense? Keeler: Broncos Country, don’t blame NFL referees for loss to Jaguars. Blame tackling. Keeler: Kevin Durant ‘crossed the line.’ Bruce Brown wanted to punch somebody. Nuggets-Rockets just got personal Grading The Week: Memo to Brooklyn Nets: Don’t let Michael Porter Jr. become Mikko Porter Jr. Keeler: Deion Sanders isn’t enough. CU Buffs football needs a sugar daddy for Christmas. *** Watson’s not the only one with wheels to burn. It isn’t long before Noah finally catches back up with us. “Hi, Mommy!” he says. “You’re a pro at it now,” Louisa says. “Mom, can go we play?” Noah asks. She nods. “But let’s stay together, baby,” Louisa says. As the kids disperse along the playground, the bikes are set in a line, kickstands at the ready. One red line of love. “They’re blessings to us,” Louisa says. “Angels in disguise. I cannot thank them enough. We don’t know what we would do without them. They’re just — they’re angels. They’re all angels.” May our better ones finally get the last word in 2026. May our cups of kindness yet runneth over. A toast to old acquaintances. To angels in disguise. And to the Santas who fly through night skies, and children’s hearts, without any reindeer at all. For more information on A Precious Child or to donate, visit https://apreciouschild.org/take-action/donate. For more information on Raising Cane’s community initiatives, visit https://raisingcanes.com/community-partnerships/ Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams. ...read more read less