As a military family, you get used to moving around a lot. However, one thing the Benton family never anticipated was for their U-Haul to go missing.
It was a surprising turn of events.
Ben and Kassandra Benton were in the process of moving their family of four across the country to begin a new job at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. However, they had to stop for the night at a La Quinta Inn outside of Covington, Georgia to catch some rest.
It’s not easy traveling with youngsters in the car for long distances. It’s something that every parent can understand. The Benton family settled in for the night, and Ben, Kassandra, and their two daughters were tucked in safe and sound indoors.
Posted by Kassandra Benton on Thursday, October 15, 2020
However, someone was absent from the picture.
Their late son Wyatt remained in the U-haul. The 6-month-old had passed away recently, and inside the U-haul, were his ashes, stored in a beautiful urn. Other important mementos were kept there too.
The family was planning to check out and leave first thing in the morning. Many of their most cherished possessions were stored in the U-Haul, but that’s how it goes when you have to move. It’s never easy packing everything up and hitting the road.
Posted by Ben Benton on Friday, October 16, 2015
Then, in the morning, Ben walked outside to a startling sight. The U-Haul was gone. Everything the family owned was stolen from the hotel parking lot overnight.
“I went outside around 7 or 8 that morning and was on the phone with one of my good buddies,” Ben reported to TODAY. “I looked up and was like ‘the U-Haul – where is it? Oh my god, the U-Haul is gone.'”
It wasn’t just the ashes that were missing with the theft either.
There were several other irreplaceable items as well.
“His handprints that we had were in there, his footprints. We had a molding of his hand,” said Kassandra.
“We had just everything you could get from a baby that you’re losing to have memories of him that you can keep. It was all in there.”
Eventually, the stolen U-Haul was located about thirty minutes distance from the hotel, but nothing was left. The only things remaining inside the vehicle were a few trash bags filled with some clothes.
Posted by Ben Benton on Wednesday, November 25, 2020
It was a devastating situation, and the family went to Facebook begging for help from the local community.
“I just want my baby boy back. I feel so empty, and sad,” the grieving mom wrote.
https://www.facebook.com/kassandra.okvath/posts/10218275035567512
Her story is not a unique one.
Many families have endured loss and hardship. However, losing a child is something that you never really get over. For the Bentons, it was the result of an early pregnancy post-chemotherapy treatment.
After receiving chemotherapy treatments, doctors told Kassandra that she wouldn’t be able to conceive again. Yet, after feeling unwell one day, she went to the hospital, and sure enough, she was already at 14-weeks. It was a miracle, however, one that ultimately led to much pain.
“I ended up having him early at 24 weeks at home. My husband delivered him,” explained Kassandra.
“I ended up hemorrhaging and he wasn’t breathing on his own. He fought for his life in the NICU for five months until he got a brain infection. We ended up taking him to hospice where he passed away.”
It was a tragic ending — one that was made even worse with the U-Haul theft.
Posted by Ben Benton on Friday, October 16, 2015
In a show of support, there is now a GoFundMe that was started to help raise some money for the family, but the main thing the Bentons want is for the criminals to bring their son back to them. There is no price tag that can be put on that.
“I’m holding on to the hope that someone will do the right thing and bring him back. I forgive the thieves, there’s too much hate in the world to add more, but I still want my baby Wyatt back,” wrote Kassandra on Facebook.
It was a plea for help, that echoed out across the Internet.
Make sure to check out the full message shared in Kassandra’s Facebook post below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
https://www.facebook.com/kassandra.okvath/posts/10218283899749111
