HOUSTON – A Spring family is in pain after a treasured memento apparently was stolen from them last week.
Jeff Oleyar passed away this past July from a heart attack at the age of 48 leaving behind his wife and two children.
"He was a guy, that when you met him you knew that you were his friend," says his widow Jodi.
They not only miss his presence and personality -- they're now missing his necklace that his son started wearing the day Jeff died.
"He put it on the day at the hospital when he passed away and he only takes it off to play basketball," says Jodi. "So it'd be good to get it back."
"Every time I would get down at night I would just know that he was still there," says Brendan. "I would be okay because I had that necklace."
The necklace, a James Avery Heavy Curb Chain, was given to Jeff by Jodi in 2015 when they celebrated their anniversary.
Brendan took the necklace off to play basketball on Sunday and left it in a backpack that was inside a truck parked at the Traders Village in Cypress.
The family believes someone stole the backpack -- and with it the necklace.
They're now asking for its return -- no questions asked.
"I would just hope if somebody knew something that they would do the right thing," says Jodi.
Inside the backpack was a pair of Kyrie Irving Nike basketball shoes and other items, but the family says they're only concerned about getting back the necklace.