ST. LOUIS — There are cookies in the oven and ornaments on the outside trees, and yet, Beth McEwen said all she can think about this Christmas is what she's missing.
"It was a nice thing and now it’s gone," she said. "Anytime we were out there and somebody walks by, it seems like somebody has a comment about him."
Discolored concrete marks the spot where her blue ribbon decoration used to sit.
"I know it brought joy to so many other people as well," said McEwen.
"Pete - Pete the pig."
The swine, made of at least 120 pounds of concrete, was first purchased by her grandfather.
"He had a pig and 5 little concrete piglets in his garden," she said.
When he passed, Pete came to live with Beth. She never envisioned him living out on the front porch. That was just a happy accident.
"He was left on the porch by the movers because they didn’t even want to move him back to the garden because he was so heavy," said McEwen.
She also never expected Pete to be the fixture of literally every holiday decoration.
"Slowly the neighborhood started to adopt him. I know sometimes we would come out sometimes and there would be decorations on him, and it wouldn’t be from our friend and it wouldn’t be from us, it was just some other neighbor who wanted to give us something," she said.
Now the boar who greeted all at the door has been snatched away.
"I don’t really know how it happened. Somebody had to put some thought in it. Like I said, it’s quite heavy and it usually takes 2-3 people to move," said McEwen.
This Christmas, Beth said the holiday just doesn't feel the same.
"I don’t know, it’s just sad it happened the week of Christmas," she said.
Beth is hopeful someone will recognize Pete and bring him back home.
If you know where he might be, give 5 On Your Side a call and we'll be sure to get you in contact with Beth.
