A new statue of Jackie Robinson will replace the one that was stolen from a Kansas park earlier this year.

In the month of January, the community of Wichita, Kansas was shocked when a beloved statue of baseball icon Jackie Robinson was stolen from a public park and found with its feet chopped off. It was a heartbreaking and senseless act, but the community refused to let the memory of Jackie Robinson be tarnished. They came together and raised almost $200,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to replace the statue.

Thanks to the overwhelming support and generosity of the community, construction of the new statue is expected to be completed by August. Despite the unfortunate passing of the original sculptor, John Parsons, in 2022, the Kansas-based organization League 42 was able to locate the original mold used to create the first statue.

Shelby Falk, the artists services coordinator for Art Castings of Colorado, expressed her gratitude for being able to help restore the statue and preserve the legacy of both John Parsons and Jackie Robinson. She believes it is important to bring back a piece of history and keep the memory of these legends alive.

The successful GoFundMe campaign was led by Jaclyn Evans, the Administrative Assistant for League 42 Foundation, and Bob Lutz, Executive Director. They were able to raise an impressive $194,780 for the reconstruction of the statue. Lutz shared that the statue holds a special significance for League 42, as it represents the values of perseverance, overcoming obstacles, and never giving up - traits that Jackie Robinson embodied and accomplished during his career.

In a positive turn of events, it was reported by The Associated Press that one of the individuals involved in the statue's theft, Ricky Alderete, has pleaded guilty for his role in the incident. He was arrested in February for attempting to kidnap someone in order to interfere with law enforcement and was later charged with felony theft and aggravated criminal damage to property for the statue theft. Along with these charges, he also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, aggravated criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property, making a false writing, and identity theft related to the kidnapping charge.

Alderete is now facing up to 19 years in prison, with the judge accepting his guilty plea and additional charges. The bronze Jackie Robinson statue, which was found with its ankles cut off and left to smolder in a trash can, will soon be replaced with a new one - a testament to the community's resilience and determination to honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson.

In the midst of this heartless act, there is light and hope as the community comes together to right the wrongs and keep the memory of Jackie Robinson alive. As Magic Johnson once said, "Jackie Robinson paved the way for all of us, a man who had to brave himself against the world - a true hero."

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