GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Grand Rapids family is pleading for someone to return a statue stolen from their front yard.
As we've found out, the piece of lawn decoration has become much more than that, and has a whole community hoping they get to see it again soon.
The once prehistoric titan has called a spot along Leonard Street in Grand Rapids home for nearly two years.
What was a father's day gift for Justin Fowler in 2023 was stolen sometime Monday night into Tuesday morning.
Like his ancestors from 65 million years ago, Rexy had been king around here.
The Fowlers treated Rexy like one of their own.
"We took pictures with the kids and put it on our Christmas card," Fowler shared.
A family fixture turned into a local landmark in their neighborhood, stationed next their Little Free Library.
"(People walking by) would stop with their kids, and the kids will go and say hi to the dinosaur, and then grab a book."
Now, there's just an empty hole left behind. His footprint on the hearts of people who know him, fossilized forever by Facebook posts announcing the theft. Thousands of people have now seen "Rexy's" story across multiple posts.
"It's been overwhelming," Fowler said. "I mean, we knew people liked it, but I don't think we realized how much the community really rallied around the dinosaur and appreciated it."
At just a fraction of the real thing, he's still a heavy statue. It'd take more than tiny T-Rex arms to get away with him.
Rexy weighs in at nearly 200 pounds of solid concrete.
The Fowlers do wonder who, why, and how someone stole Rexy, but they only have one request.
"Just bring it back," Graham Fowler pleaded. "It's really sad that it's gone."
A 200 pound dinosaur statue will be hard to miss. So, if you see something, say something. Otherwise, the Fowlers say it will be no questions asked if Rexy returns in the middle of the night.
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