By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wkrtv.org
When Wyoming resident Matthew Gould posted his neighbor’s 10-foot suit of armor statue for sale, he wasn’t expecting the type of community outpouring that would cause his phone to ding constantly throughout the day.
“I don’t think after I posted the listing that I was even able to close my phone before it started dinging,” he said.
Few who have driven 44th Street heading east from U.S. 131 have missed the 10-foot statue sitting on the lawn of the Zoet home. According to Mabel Zoet, her husband Nelson, who was an auctioneer, often traveled to Laredo, Texas, where he would purchase the suits of armor statues, which were made in Mexico. He then would sell the seven-foot statues, she said.
“One day a friend said to him ‘Why don’t you put up a 10-foot one up?’” Zoet said. “So he put one up next to the flagpole.”
That was about 30 years ago, Zoet said. Now after 58 years in their home, Zoet is looking to downsize. So she decided to put the “tin man” up for sale, never realizing how much of a symbol it had become to the community and her neighbors.
“[I] used to live down the block from ‘my knight in shining armor,’” wrote Ruth Ann S. on the Grand Rapids Online Garage Sale Facebook page.
Fida K. wrote “I used to see this as my parents drove by that house as a young child!! I love/still love him!! Such an icon! Please keep him!”
“Oh I’m so sad to see this for sale,” wrote Amber M. “I remember walking past that thing when I was a little girl on the way to school and imagining the things we could do if we were inside it.”
“It’s like the only cool thing on 44th Street,” wrote John F.
In fact, so many people thought the statue was too “cool” to be moved that they encouraged a GoFundMe campaign to purchase the statue to keep it in the community. In less than 24 hours, the $500 was raised to purchase it.
Gould said the task now will be to find a new home for the statue.
“I feel like this needs to be put up in a park nearby or even downtown with a little plaque ‘The Knight of 44th St.’” wrote DK. “Crazy how this was something of significance to a lot of us growing up!”
Alex C. agreed. “This is a landmark icon, we need to preserve this art. Make it known, put the man’s name on a plaque at least.”
For now, Zoet said the statue can stay in her yard. Gould, who lives next door to Zoet, said his yard is also available until a permanent home can be found. Gould said he plans to reach out to city officials in 2022 as he works to secure the statue’s new home.
“…He was a childhood icon for me when my parents would take me to C’s Dairy and Dogs for the car shows,” wrote Josh W. “I’m forever thankful for this guy no matter where he goes.”
