PHOENIX — Police are asking the public's help after a statue of Arizona's first Make-A-Wish child was reportedly stolen from the organization's headquarters earlier this week.
Officials with Make-A-Wish Arizona and Phoenix police confirmed to ABC15 that the bronze statue was reported stolen Tuesday around 10 p.m.
Surveillance cameras showed two individuals pull up into the driveway and harness a chain around the bronze statue. They used the chain to dislocate it from the base, and then loaded the statue in their trunk and drove off.
The bronze statue is of Chris Grecius, a seven-year-old child with leukemia who inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish. His wish was granted on April 29, 1980, when he was able to be a police officer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. DPS gave him a uniform, helicopter ride, and a meeting with all of the officers who could make it out that day.
Granting Chris' wish led six people to come together and create the Make-A-Wish organization, which is now the nation's largest wish-granting organization for kids with critical illnesses.
Chris' story was highlighted earlier this week for "Wish Wednesday," a partnership with ABC15 showcasing stories of hope from Make-A-Wish Arizona.
Watch the Wish Wednesday story in the player below.
Chris' mother shared her frustration.
"Children with life-threatening illnesses that need a wish,” said Linda Pauling. "The doctors, at that time, basically gave me three years for him to live and that was it."
Pauling spends countless hours serving as the foundation's ambassador.
"Absolutely devastated. It is like burying him all over again. It really is,” added Pauling.
Some might think the statue is a hunk of metal. Pauling knows it represents more.
"The hope. The strength. The joy for all of the kids. All of the parents. The memory. The laughter that has been created. It is like, why,” stated Pauling.
She's seen the surveillance video showing thieves removing the statue.
"I really don't think the people who took it knew what they were taking. I really don't because they never could have done that,” added Pauling.
Since her son's statue was put in place, five years ago, Pauling says she's made nearly 100 visits to headquarters. Each time, she puts a rose at the base of the statue. After it was stolen, she put an entire dozen.
"He gets all the roses today. I just want to give him a full bouquet because I probably won't be coming up here too much right now until it returns,” added Pauling.
If anyone has any information on what has happened to the statue, officials are asking the public to call Phoenix police.
