KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WDAF) – One man’s cross-country trip turned disastrous after his U-Haul truck, filled with his belongings, including his mother’s ashes, was stolen.
Now the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department needs your help.
This all happened shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday morning at the Best Western across from Children’s Mercy Park and Kansas Speedway.
The hotel said police have obtained video of the theft of Jared D’amato’s U-Haul, but police wouldn’t confirm with Nexstar’s WDAF that it has the video. But all D’amato wants is his mother’s and grandmother’s ashes returned.
D’amato’s 20-foot U-Haul looked just like the rest with an Arizona license plate and a New York sticker on the side.
“It’s just like when you’re watching the news and you see a tornado or hurricane wipe away someone’s house and they lose all of their possessions and their belongings. It just feels like that,” he said.
He lost his mom just over a year ago and is in the process of moving back to Colorado from Florida.
“This was our third-night stay we checked in,” D’amato said.
When he stopped at the Best Western in Kansas City, everything went wrong.
“First thing in the morning, me and my friend Clay were out on the back and we just looked at each other and we noticed the U-Haul was missing,” he said.
A stunning realization that everything he owned was gone – above all, the remains of both his mom and grandmother. He offered a message to the person who did this.
“You can take anything. My tools, anything of value, but please, for the love of God, can you please leave my mother’s ashes, my grandmother’s ashes, my photos? It’s all I have left of her,” he said.
Police said they’re investigating.
“I just never thought this would happen to me it’s the worst thing imaginable,” D’amato said.
His sister drove in from Colorado Saturday evening and picked him up. If you know anything that can help D’amato find the 20-foot U-Haul with Arizona Plates and a mammoth sticker on the side with the words ‘New York,’ call the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.