Christmas Decorations Returned To South Jersey Cancer Patient's Home
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DELANCO, N.J. (CBS) -- A pair of beloved Christmas decorations that were believed stolen last week have been returned to the family's Delanco home Tuesday. Wooden Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman decorations were taken from the couple's home at Second and Oakford last Wednesday.
JUST IN — Stolen Christmas decorations from South Jersey cancer patient's yard have been RETURNED. Here's our story that prompted whoever took them to have a change of heart. https://t.co/bRJBum8dwp
— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) November 27, 2018
After seeing Monday's report, a township employee called the couple to let them know they had been found. Apparently someone thought they had been put out for trash and they were taken by mistake.
According to a Facebook post by Sandra Lee Rossi Welsh -- one of the homeowners -- the couple purchased the decorations 32 years ago when they first married.
Daughter Kylynn Welsh recently added a coat of paint.
"It was really sad this year to see someone had taken them from us, and this will be the first Christmas, hopefully not, without them," said Welsh.
But these ornaments mean more than just symbols of the holiday. They were there from the start of a chapter of love -- one that Sandra explains may be slowly slipping away.
"This year is extremely difficult for us because I have cancer and I'm in chemo and I go through chemo every week. My husband has been fighting dementia, so we've been trying to make the holidays extremely special," said Sandra.
Here are photos of our wooden lawn decorations that were STOLEN from our front yard. Please keep in mind the Santa and...
Posted by Sandra Lee Rossi Welsh on Thursday, November 22, 2018
"I was very proud when I came home with the gifts for our marriage," Joe said.
Delanco Township police had posted information on social media hoping someone out there understands the big picture and meaning for this family.
"In hopes they gain conscience and see this, and see social media - and maybe they drop the property somewhere and it's recovered," said Chief Jesse DeSanto.