Woman's one-of-a-kind coat stolen on flight to Seattle

ajc.com

Credit: Bruce Bennett

Credit: Bruce Bennett

When Pura Fe Crescioni posted about her stolen coat on Facebook, she never expected it to go viral.

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“All the paintings are creation stories from my nation,” Crescioni said.

She and her husband made the coat themselves with moose hide, fringe, suede, velvet and beadwork in homage to their Native American heritage. It was in her carry-on luggage on a Nov. 17 WestJet flight from Edmonton, Canada, to Seattle when the luggage was stolen.

Crescioni said she stored her carry-on at the front of the plane in November because there was no overhead bin space available where she was sitting. When the plane landed and she went to get her bag, it was gone.

Crescioni, who is a musician and part of the group Ulali Project, said one of her drums was also stolen along with other valuables, like jewelry.

“I'm not angry,” she said. “I was disappointed someone would do this.”

She said she was ready to let it go, but her husband convinced her that it couldn’t hurt to ask about the coat on social media.

“My husband said post about the coat, you never know,” Crescioni added.

So, she did, but she added, "There are things that are far more important... like my sister in dire need of a kidney transplant."

The post has been shared more than 148,000 times, and it's become about more than just the coat. At least one person has asked about her sister’s blood type.

“The coat has become medicine for her,” Crescioni said.

Her sister is 36-year-old Charly Lowry, a dear friend whom Crescioni has known for more than 20 years. She's a singer, part of Crescioni's Ulali Project and also the lead singer of Dark Water Rising.

“That’s what this coat is now,” Crescioni said. “It's becoming something that is helping my sister.”

There have been sightings of the coat in Port Orchard, SeaTac and in Eugene, Oregon.

“In the long run, it's just stuff. If it gets returned that’s great. It’s stuff,” Crescioni said. “So, to me, this stuff that I lost has become a lot better because of Charly. To me that’s where this stuff becomes valuable, being able to put the word out for her.”