SEATTLE - The Hartles sit in what has now become home, a small room at the Ronald McDonald House. They're here for their 3-year-old son John who is fighting to stay alive.
"He has stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma," says his mom Karen as she fights back tears. "It has metastasized in every bone of his body, but we're hopeful," she says.
Up until Tuesday, their 2002 Ford F250 was their lifeline.
"It's either we're isolated in this room or we're isolated in the hospital room, so our only outlet is to drive around," says Jeremy, John's father.
"The bad guys took it away," says 3-year-old John.
The Hartles had parked their truck right in front of the Ronald McDonald House on 40th Avenue NE. When they came back from their nightly stroll, it was gone.
"Who does that?" says Jeremy. "Who steals a car right in front of a place like this?"
"I'm 7 months pregnant and we had a lot of material things for the baby in the truck," says Karen.
They'd also drive to their hometown of Kalispell, Montana, to see their two other children, ages 7 and 3 (John's twin sister.)
"Dealing with, you know, losing our house, coming here, being separated from our family. It feels like one thing after another that just doesn't let up."
Karen says what gets them through is John's laughter and smile. Children with this form of cancer typically have a 15 percent chance of survival, according to his mom, but doctors at Children's Hospital have given him a 50 to 70 percent chance of survival.
Karen says the most important thing right now is the health of their son, but having that truck back sure would help.
"You never know what you're taking from somebody other than a vehicle. It may be a lifeline or something," she said.
John begins another round of chemotherapy Friday. The Hartles are expected to be in Seattle for another 9 to 12 months.
If you have any information on the truck, which has Montana license plates, call Seattle Police.
