Family wants return of grandfather's stolen memorial fences, custom made by great-grandfather

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A Wichita woman is feeling heartbroken after thieves stole a nearly 50-year-old gate that served as a memorial to her grandfather.

Michael and Abbygail Hayes expressed shock and confusion when they discovered someone had taken the hand-forged gates from their grandfather’s grave at the cemetery. The family is looking for answers and has a message for the person responsible.

“Are we angry? Are we angry? Yes, a little bit. But are we more heartbroken than anything? “Absolutely,” Abbygail said.

On Thursday, she was visiting her grandparents’ graves when she noticed the memorial fences made by her great-grandfather, Bob Herrald, a former Sedgwick County firefighter, were missing. These gates were created in memory of her grandfather, Michael Harreld, who passed away unexpectedly.

“I’ve always thought of them as the gates to heaven,” Abbygail explained.

She contacted the cemetery about the theft and discovered that the gates had been stolen four months earlier, on July 4, while the cemetery was closed. Cemetery staff did not know who to contact about the missing gates because they had been in place for so long. The family is devastated, they are gone.

“This is a very emotional space, and if someone comes in and takes something out of it, it makes me sick. You know, we just want our gates back,” said Abbygail’s brother Michael.

Despite their pain, the family wants to convey a message to the thief.

“I hope it was worth it, and I’m sorry it had to come to this,” Michael said, “and I mean no disrespect when I say this, but I hope it was worth it to disrespect my great-grandfather and my grandfather, but in the end you did what you had to do and I hope you can make it right.

Abbygail said she would be willing to forgive.

“I would give them a hug, I know that sounds a little weird, but I believe kindness goes a long way,” she said.

The family said they do not hold the cemetery responsible for the theft and do not want to press charges. They just want the gates returned so they can serve as a precious reminder of their lost loved one.