SEATAC, Wash. — A young couple moving cross-country to start a new life in Seattle fell victim to what many movers have dealt with: a stolen moving truck.
For Megan Abernathy and JJ Osborn, it was a stolen U-Haul trailer.
"It's really hard, just knowing that someone went through our stuff and determined what was valuable to them," Abernathy said.
The couple moved from Durham, North Carolina last week and made stops in St. Louis, Sioux City and Billings before making their final stop at SeaTac, where they stayed at Aloft Hotel on 28th Avenue South.
They intended to head to Seattle the next day on July 9 but found out that morning their trailer was gone, and the lock connecting it to their vehicle was broken.
"They were prepared. They knew what they were doing," Osborn said.
The couple filed a police report with SeaTac Police, which is investigating. Abernathy then turned to social media and posted a photo of their trailer on the Facebook group PNW Stolen Cars, in hopes of locating it.
A member recognized the trailer, saying it was seen at a parking lot at a Denny's on 18623 Pacific Hwy South in SeaTac, less than two miles away from the hotel the couple was staying in.
"We had gotten a Facebook message from someone, an admin team that was like, someone found your trailer. Here's exactly where it was," Abernathy said.
The couple went to the Denny's and found the trailer nearly empty, with most of their belongings gone.
As of Monday, whoever was responsible has not been found.
The loss is considerable for Abernathy, 25, and Osborn, 24. They are engaged and about to start new jobs in the Seattle area. Abernathy has a new position in admissions at the University of Washington, and Osborn has a new gig as an elementary school counselor.
"All of my sentimental items, from being a coach, working in marching bands, it's all gone," Abernathy said.
Abernathy set up a GoFundMe page for assistance.