Amy Akes built a roadside memorial for her father shortly after his death nearly eight years ago. However, her most proud gift for her late father came this winter - a custom-engraved steel Jayhawk.
However, as of Tuesday morning, the Jayhawk is missing.
"I'm praying for you ... If you're in that desperate of a situation to steal from a memorial, you definitely need prayers,” said Akes on Tuesday afternoon. “It's pretty obvious it was pulled just straight from the ground,” she said.
The only child, Akes built the memorial near the Riverview exit on the Turner Diagonal in Kansas City, Kansas, the site of the car crash that ended her father’s life in March 2008.
Her father, Kevin Akes, was well known in the KCK community, having owned a transmission company. He was only 45 years old when he passed. He was also a life-long KU fan.
"It's a very intimate spot. Spent a lot of hours here by myself with just him and I,” said Amy Akes, who now has three daughters of her own who visit the site with her.
The custom-made Jayhawk was a present for Kevin Akes’s birthday just weeks ago. It’s valued at about $375, according to Amy Akes, but losing the memento is what hurts. She simply hopes someone makes the effort to return it.
"It makes me sad that someone would go so low as to steal from a memorial site. Angry, for the same reason,” said Amy Akes.
According to a spokesman with the Kansas Department of Transportation, there is no policy regarding roadside memorials but they are looked at on a case-by-case basis.They are only removed if they could be considered distracting to drivers. KDOT also said they would have removed the memorial entirely if there was an issue with the Jayhawk sign.
-----
Josh Helmuth can be reached at josh.helmuth@kshb.com.
