Have you seen Jesus? A Florida man wants him back
Fello Ambivero was going through his Monday morning routine in his Central Florida home when he looked at his front yard.
Jesus, a 4-foot statue that has been in Ambivero’s family for decades, was missing.
As of Wednesday, Jesus was still missing.
Ambivero had lived in his Sorento neighborhood in Lake County for only two weeks. Prior to his move, Jesus stood in his yard for five years with no problems.
“I really hope it’s just a kid playing a game or somebody that maybe liked it so they took it, “ Ambivero said. “But, I’m hoping for the best.”
Jesus entered Ambivero’s life 26 years ago when his family moved to the United States from Brazil. The statue was one of the first things his family purchased in the States.
Over the years, Jesus went from a symbol of a family’s immigration to America to a racing track mascot. Ambivero and his friend Wesley Colon used to run events at Central Florida Racing Complex, which held drag racing and autocross events.
“We took him to the track when the track opened and he stayed at the track for about seven years,” Ambivero said. “At every event we would hang out with him.”
When the track closed in 2013, Ambivero moved the statue to his front lawn.
Ambivero started a Facebook group called “Stolen Jesus statue in apopka/sorento area!!” The group has started a fundraiser to raise $200 for Ambivero so he can buy a new statue.
“We know there’s no way new Jesus could ever truly replace our dear family friend, but it will serve as a reminder of the great times and good fortune we all had with him,” the post said.
This story was originally published November 13, 2019 at 7:58 PM.
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