Porch pirates return WWE belt to boy awaiting brain surgery, pen apology note: 'We never wanted to steal a child's hope'

Authored by yahoo.com and submitted by Miskatonica
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Timmy Vick, a 5-year-old autistic boy from Delaware, likes to sleep with his replica WWE belt at night. (Credit: Sergio Moreira)

A group of porch pirates returned a stolen package of WWE belts that were meant for a sick 5-year-old boy and penned a heartfelt apology letter following public outcry.

The belts belonged to Timmy Vick, a boy with autism from Delaware who needs surgery to remove a dangerous brain tumor. According to the young boy’s father, Tim Sr., his son takes the wrestling belt with him everywhere and finds comfort sleeping with the accessory.

After Timmy’s father reached out to Sergio Moreira, a wrestling belt artist who refurbishes WWE replica belts with metal, leather, cubic zirconia and more, Moreira offered to decorate the sick boy’s accessory free of charge.

“When [Timmy’s father] sent me a message and asked me for help, he just was hoping for a discount,” Moreira tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Moreira, 50, has been restoring WWE replica belts to make them seem like the real champion belts for two years.

“I told him to just pay shipping and I would take care of the rest. I felt like it was the right thing to do for Timmy and his family. They have been through so much.”

The package with Timmy’s belts was delivered to Moreira’s home in Edgewood, Wash. on Monday. While Moreira was ringside at a WWE Raw show, an app on his phone alerted him that two women and a driver had swiped the package from his front porch.

Determined to make good on his promise for the sick boy, Moreira went to a local news station to bring attention to the story and Timmy’s illness.

“I want them to know they took hope from a 5-year-old boy who is looking forward to that item coming back to him,” Moreira told local news station KIRO7. “You stole that from him. You broke a child’s heart.”

Moreira went on television to plead with the unidentified thieves to return the package and the Edgewood Police Department also posted surveillance footage of the theft on their Facebook, leading community members to swiftly join the rallying cry to return the package to its rightful owner.

Just two days later, the thieves went to Moreira’s home to return the box with Timmy’s belts along with a emotional four-page apology letter.

“We are so sorry for taking your stuff. Never in a million years would I have expected I would have stolen from a sick five year old,” reads the apology letter obtained by Yahoo Lifestyle. “I have a 6 year old myself and am ashamed of what I did.”

Homeless and addicted to drugs, the women explained that they were just “trying to make a quick dollar.” After watching the news and realizing what they had done, the women decided to rectify the situation.

“We never wanted to steal a child’s hope,” reads the letter. “After seeing ourselves looking like low lives on the news, we have both decided to get clean and sober.”

The two women who stole the package later returned the belts to Sergio Moriera's home, along with a heartfelt hand-written apology letter. (Credit: Sergio Moriera)

Edgewood Police Department Chief Micah Lundborg says he was surprised but glad the outreach was effective.

“I think it says something about people deep down inside that they want to do right for themselves and their children. Hopefully, that carries on beyond just children and the whole community,” Chief Lundborg tells Yahoo Lifestyle. He adds that the Edgewood Police Department hopes to find the women to give them the help they need to get clean.

Moreira says the women were crying and seemed very sorry when they dropped off the package at his home. He gave them a big hug and told them he didn’t plan to press charges.

With the belts returned, Moreira plans to have it delivered to its rightful owner by next week.

“Timmy is going to have a belt of a lifetime,” Moreira says. “It will be something he can carry with him as a symbol of people coming together to right a wrong and it was all for him.”

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eikyuu on May 12nd, 2020 at 07:10 UTC »

This reminds me of a thing that happened to my grandparents when I was little. My grandpa had a Buddha statue outside in his front garden. It probably wasn't worth too much, but was shiny and gold looking. One day it was stolen.

About a month later two guys came back to my grandparents house and returned the statue. They said they stole it on a whim because it looked cool. They said when they looked into what it was they learned about Buddhism, the life of the Buddha and they regretted what they did. They apologized and my grandpa forgave them and they had a prayer or meditation session together (this was about 20-25 years ago so my memory of it hazy).

My grandpa had still had that statue in his front yard until they had to move out of the house. Sadly he passed earlier this year but I always think on that story from time to time.

maleorderbride on May 12nd, 2020 at 03:02 UTC »

Full text of the note:

We are so sorry for taking your stuff. Never in a million years would I have expected I would have stolen from a sick five year old. I have a 6 year old myself and am ashamed of what I did. You see, life has had its ups and downs for us. We're homeless and we were trying to make a quick dollar or two. We never wanted to steal a child's hope. we have everything from both packages inside this pink tote. I will knock on your door and tell you the same. I am embarrassed with myself, ashamed, and deserve all the hate of the world. Please find it in your hearts to forgive us. After seeing ourselves looking like low lives on the news, we have both decided to get clean and sober.

striped_frog on May 12nd, 2020 at 02:20 UTC »

Well that went from bad to surprisingly good.