Our Crazy Adventure and Loss

The Story of Our Crazy Adventure and Loss

What a wild ride we’ve been on the last few days. We started October 9^th in Minneapolis and were going to finish the tour Sunday night October 20th in Canton, OH. Friday night the 18^th we were in Warren, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The evening couldn’t have gone better. The church overpowered the band in worship.

We went to the hotel about 10 miles away, dropped the van outside at 11:30pm, and a couple of us hopped in with the worship pastor to go get some wings. When Drew and I parked the van and trailer, I saw three young dudes run from the pool building attached the hotel across the parking lot to Applebee’s. It peaked my interest but I moved on.

The next morning lobby call was at 10am to get to Canton. Kyle and I went out to pull the van around. Sinking feelings ensued. You play that in your mind from time to time. This time it was real.

Talked to the hotel staff. Nothing. Called the police, filed the report, and all the guys started making a list of every piece of gear inside the long-gone vehicle. First estimate $75K plus merch.

We called both churches, where we were going and where we’d been. The Detroit fellas loaded up our suitcases and pushed us half way to Canton (we may or may not have stopped at Steak N Shake and soothed the pain with a milkshake). The Canton guys borrowed a van and huffed up to Fremont, OH to rendezvous. On our way a Detroit reported hits me on Twitter, “Heard what happened. Call me cell #____.” Texted a few pics to her and recorded an interview over the phone.

The Canton folks at High Mill loved on us like family. Like salve in a wound. We spent Saturday setting up, Sunday am and pm we worshipped together.

Sunday night after the event I get a call from Jon Nick, the Detroit worship pastor. “We found the van. The news ran the story and got an anonymous tip. Reporter is by the van and police are on their way.” Craziness.

Monday morning everyone was set to fly home except Nathan. He would drive the van and trailer back to Colorado. Instead Kyle, Drew, Kris, Chad, and Jason flew out, I canceled my flight, and the Canton cavalier Jeff drove Nate and I all the way to Detroit at 5am. What a stud!

We arrive at the impound lot. It’s like a third-world prison. Forked over $230 cash. Got in the van, trashed beyond belief. We had picked up some of Megan’s grandfather’s valuables in MN. He passed away in August. Just a few pictures from the keepsake box strewn about. Box gone. Gas station food opened and just tossed everywhere. Foul doesn’t describe. DVD player and stereo gone. Trim ripped out to access the wiring. Driving away we found the muffler was cracked in two. Noisier than a Harley.

Nathan and I thanked Jeff for his help. The van was recovered at 30^th and Rich St. I looked and it was only a mile and a half from the impound lot. We headed that way. This part of Detroit makes Haiti look normal.

We get to the intersection and start driving around looking for our trailer. Then we head to an Auto Zone to get exhaust tape for the muffler. We stop at a gas station and as we’re pumping gas a guy named Chuck hollers over.

“Is that the van that was on the news?”

“Yes.”

“I know the guy that took that.” (I’m not telling word for word, it was more flavorful.)

“Well, we’d like to get our trailer back too.”

“You had a trailer? What was in it?”

“Music equipment.”

“Let me make a phone call………I hate that guy. I would love to get back at him.”

After the call, “Looks like he sold it. I’ll find it. Call me in an hour.”

“How do you know all this stuff?”

“I know everything that goes on in this neighborhood. I’m the dope man.”

So we left. Mind-blown.

I put in a call to a former cop that was at the church that Friday night in Detroit. Josh reached out to me on Facebook and offered to help any way he could. He had gone down the night before to find the van while we waited for the cops. I buzzed him. He told me to go find the auto theft unit at the police station and call Chuck back from there.

I found the detective. I called Chuck back. I said, “Man, I have to be at the airport to go home in two hours. I would love to take care of this now.”

He said, “Its gonna be a day or two. Stay with me.”

Then Nathan took me to the airport.

The van has arrived safely back in Colorado. I’m still texting with dope man but no real information yet. I made a huge mistake in the fact that none of our stuff is covered by a proper insurance policy. It would qualify under personal property home-owners or renters insurance, but since we receive love offerings and honorariums for these nights of worship it needs to be covered under a separate policy.

Integrity Music has been so helpful and is in the process and set up a Fundly page so folks can donate to us. Click here to view. The police have entered several of our equipment serial numbers into the Pawn Shop Anti-Theft System. We’ll see what shows up.

Pray for our team, Chuck the dope man, and whoever “Rabbit on 30^th “ is. Apparently that’s a street name. Chuck said he’s the guy that stole it, and he knows he sold it to a 3^rd party. In the last couple days Chuck’s leads for finding the trailer have dried up. He said everyone is being real “tight-lipped” about it.

We know God is at work in all this. We will rebuild as best we can. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement.

Blessings,

Jared and Megan