CYPRESS, Texas – Julie Edwards of Cypress has a treasure trove of awards, photos and commendations earned by her late father, Maj. Ken Rasmussen -- a pilot who spent 26 years in the Air Force.
What's missing though, are nearly two dozen of his medals and ribbons -- a case now being investigated by the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
"Why would anyone take a deceased vet's medals?" Edwards asks.
Edwards -- who is selling her house -- had boxed up the mementos in her office to keep them out of the way when potential buyers came to view the home.
She believes someone -- who most likely came with a real-estate agent -- spotted the medals in their plastic folders.
Thinking they were valuable -- they snagged them out of the box.
She's now making a plea to whoever took them to return the history and memories that her family has lost.
"Heartbroken. Made me really sick to my stomach," says Edwards. "There's no reason. There's no monetary value to these things other than sentimental value to the family."
Edwards is asking whoever took the ribbons and medals to turn them in, even anonymously, and she will take them back with no questions asked.