Disabled Pontiac man's stolen custom van recovered

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Thieves target a Pontiac man stealing his only source of transportation - but the story has a happy ending thanks to a FOX 2 viewer.

A rough road now behind him, 45-year-old Jeff Gross - a quadriplegic for 17 years, is happily back behind the wheel.

He said he can only describe the feeling of getting back into his custom-made van  stolen earlier this week as: "Good, relieved. Incredibly relieved."

Fox 2 first told you about Gross Wednesday. The Pontiac man received this $100,000 wheelchair accessible van back in November but it was stolen in downtown Pontiac Monday.

Also stolen - his freedom to drive to his physical therapy sessions on his own.

"It was awful, because I was stuck," Gross said.

But Gross received a call from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office after he says a FOX 2 viewer stepped up to help.

"One of the viewers saw the van parked on the side and called it in," Gross said.

The van was discovered on Pinegrove Street. Deputies are still working Friday to find who stole it.

"It looks like somebody took it and gone through it," Gross said. "And tore up all the stuff and just made it a mess inside. But everything is there, everything works."

Everything works including his ramp and driving controls along with his specialized steering wheel able to lock his hands in.

Gross is looking forward to getting back to therapy, working on learning to walk again. It's obvious Gross's positive attitude is what keeps him going.

"You can either sit there and be sad and pity party," Gross said, "Or you can do what we do and get up every day and try to make it better."

Jeff wanted to thank the special viewer who spotted the van and called it in.

"I want to say thank you so much for taking the time to make the call, I've got it back so thank you for making the call," he said.

If you have any information on who stole the van, contact the Oakland County Sheriff's Office at (248) 858-4951.