Overview

At Los Angeles General Medical Center, a collection of bicycles left behind by patients tells untold stories. Each bike bears a sticker with the owner's name, date of birth, and date of admission, but the fate of the owners remains a mystery. Olin Reyes, a 94-year-old bicycle shop owner, has taken on the task of salvaging these abandoned bicycles.

The former General Hospital, which ceased patient care nearly two decades ago, housed these bicycles in its basement. As the building undergoes redevelopment, Reyes has been working to restore as many bikes as possible, giving them a new lease on life.

Key details

  • Each bicycle has a sticker indicating the owner's name, date of birth, and date of admission.
  • The fate of the bicycle owners after their hospital admission is unknown.
  • Olin Reyes, a 94-year-old, has been salvaging the bicycles left behind.
  • The former General Hospital has not admitted patients for nearly 20 years.
  • The adjacent new county General hospital has utilized the old building's empty rooms for storage.
  • Patients often arrive at the hospital on bicycles or wheelchairs but leave without them.
  • The hospital documented the bicycles with identifying stickers and stored them out of public view.
  • Salvage efforts began last year as the old hospital prepares for redevelopment.
  • Reyes initially found about 280 bicycles in the basement.
  • He categorized the bicycles into those that could be salvaged and those that were beyond repair.
  • Approximately 90 bicycles were deemed salvageable after Reyes' triage process.
  • Some bicycles showed signs of corrosion due to prolonged storage.

Context

The effort to salvage these bicycles is part of a larger redevelopment project aimed at transforming the former hospital site into housing, with a focus on health-themed initiatives.

What happens next

Reyes will continue to restore the bicycles, potentially giving them a new purpose and ensuring that the stories of their previous owners are not entirely forgotten.

What we don't know yet

The specific reasons why the patients left without their bicycles and what ultimately happened to them remain unconfirmed.