The family was moving to Jacksonville when their belongings were scattered and stolen along an Arizona highway.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — What was supposed to be a military family’s new beginning in Jacksonville has turned into heartbreak.
This comes after Bert and Alejandra Wing’s moving truck crashed and was abandoned on the side of an Arizona highway, scattering their lives across the road.
Bert Wing retired from federal service earlier this year and hired a moving company in July to help them relocate from Hawaii to Florida.
The couple said the company promised their belongings would arrive within eight weeks, but the delivery never came.
Instead, the Wings received a phone call from an officer of the Prescott Valley Police Department, letting them know that a moving truck carrying all of their possessions had overturned.
“He called us and said, listen, I found your name through all this stuff,” Bert Wing recalled “A truck flipped over on the side of the highway.”
For days, the family’s furniture, photos and personal documents were left scattered along the highway, soaked by rain and picked through by strangers after a social media post advertised the items as “free stuff.”
“Everything is gone,” Alejandra Wing said.
The family says they lost their son’s baby pictures, family’s heirlooms, even wills that dated back to the 1600s. The Wings had priceless items passed down through generations.
“We will probably never see those again,” she said.
Penske, the truck rental company, confirmed to First Coast News that the truck used in the move had been recovered and returned to the company. A spokesperson said Penske has reached out to the family and will assist with their insurance claim. The company also said it plans to cooperate fully with any law enforcement investigations.
The Wings said the moving company they contracted continues to insist their belongings were delivered to Florida and ready for pickup, despite documented evidence of the crash.
Penske said it has attempted to contact the company multiple times without a response.
Prescott Valley Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether any suspects or arrests have been made.
Despite their loss, the Wings said they’re leaning on family and community support as they try to rebuild.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life, the military, September 11th, Desert Storm, but I don’t think I’ve ever really been hit like this,” Bert Wing said.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page and is pleading for help to recover whatever pieces of their past might still be out there. You can find it here.
“Just give us our personal stuff back,” the family said. “Let us have our memories.”
If you have items or can help the family, they urge you to email them at: bertikus@yahoo.com.