ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSNW) — An Arkansas City family is hurt and puzzled after thieves tried to steal their father's memorial stone.  The stone broke in the process.  KSN's Derek Lytle visited the family, who said they were left picking up the pieces of their grief.  Austin Kendrick said his dad, Lance Kendrick, died in 2020, from COVID complications. The memorial stone, gifted to the family. It's a last daily connection, for them to remember him by.  Kendrick said they're at a loss as to why someone would hurt them in this way.  A sacred memorial, violated by vandals.  "When the sheriff first told me, I was surprised, caught off guard," said Austin Kendrick.  Days before Christmas, in the middle of the night, thieves tried to drive off with more than a thousand pounds of stone. Damaging it beyond repair, Lance's son, Austin Kendrick, said this crime had made his family furious.  "Once I saw the rock, that's when the anger set in, about why, why would someone do this," said Austin Kendrick.  Lance filled the role for Austin and his brothers as a father figure, making it official, adopting them just before he died.  Lance's ex-wife, Marcy Reed, said she hopes whoever brought their family pain is caught.  "He was our rock, he was the pillar of our family, so I was pretty upset, I was crying, and I just couldn't believe someone would do that," said Reed.  The chunk taken from the stone, reading 'Dad's Dream','s the part that hurts the family the most.  "It is a memorial. This was Lance's dream out here. He bought this place, he was working on fixing it up, and this was their dad's dream. This is where he planned on staying the rest of his life," said Reed.  Hope a new stone will come up, in Lance's honor, soon.  The company that made the first stone said it would cost around thirteen hundred dollars for a new one to be made.  A neighbor has begun a fundraiser. You can find that here. Cowley County's sheriff said they do not have any solid leads and are asking the public for help.  A reward is being offered for a tip leading to an arrest by a family member.