"I FOUND HIM!", says Meghan Fry on her Facebook page on March 26, 2021.

In 2011, Meghan Fry of North Carolina was stationed in Wyoming when she had to sell her childhood best friend, Jedadiah.  She was devastated but tried to find a family that would take good care of him and appreciates him. 

She thought the people she sold him to were good people. She met with the family and everything seemed just perfect until it wasn't.  The bill of sale was signed and Jed was to leave the next day. When Meghan went to say goodbye, she found that Jed and thousands of dollars of her horse equipment were gone. Her search to find Jed began that day. 

She tried to contact the family she sold Jed to but they would not respond to her calls or messages. She soon discovered that the address the people gave her was fake. Eventually, she talked with the husband and he told Meghan that they sold Jed. He provided no information on who or where the horse was sold.

Meghan called every single veterinarian in Nebraska. She posted on Facebook and listed her horse with Stolen Horse International-NetPosse Missing and Stolen Equine's website.  Thousands of NetPosse Alerts were sent out for Jed. Jed's NetPosse report has remained on the website the entire time he has been missing. 

Stolen Horse International's NetPosse Alerts can reach tens of thousands of people on and off of Facebook but the organization still recommends that the owners of missing horses keep turning over every rock in their search. The webpage on www.netposse.com has tools such as pictures, case details, a printable flyer, for example, that are very useful in a search, especially when it lasts a long time.

Meghan didn't give up. Finally, a decade later Meghan got the break she'd been praying for and needed so much!  The dots connected and luck was on Meghan's side when Sherry Fortner and Eileen Smith, the people who had Jed saw Meghan's plea to find her beloved horse on Facebook.

Meghan's post said, “He’s a dark bay thoroughbred, about 16-17hh. He was 7 y/o when I sold him, so he would be about 15 y/o now, and he is missing a front tooth."

"So it was actually a friend of Jed's current owner (Sherry) that saw one of my posts on Facebook. I posted on 100+ Facebook groups and just kept circulating my post every couple of months. I also contacted EVERY vet in Nebraska and contacted the Wyoming brand inspector," Meghan adds. 

Meghan tells her story in her own words on her Facebook page.

What you see right here is closure after 10 years of worrying and wondering. This beautiful boy is Jed (Jedadiah) was my beloved childhood horse. I had to sell him when I got out of the Air Force and I’ve been searching for him ever since.

Recently I’ve posted MULTIPLE times on MULTIPLE groups on Facebook searching for Jed. And tonight, I got the message I’ve been waiting years to see. He’s happy, healthy and SO very loved. His current owner sent me these pictures and let me know how much she adores him.

I can honestly say I’ve never been so overwhelmed with emotions. I couldn’t help but start immediately crying (even though we were in a brewery...yes it was embarrassing ). He’s currently living in Nebraska and we will be making a trip to see him VERY soon!

I’ve prayed so hard for this moment. The most recent was today and I asked God that even if I couldn’t have him back, to please just let me know he was okay and then this evening I get THE message. This is a reminder that He is always listening.

All I can say is thank you to God and his sweet owner for keeping this amazing boy safe and loved in the times when I was unable to do so myself!

And a HUGE thank you to everyone who shared our story! If it wasn’t for you I would still be searching! You’ll never know how grateful I am! Thank you so much, Sherry Z Fortner and Eileen Smith for loving him!

But this story does not end here. Meghan will drive to the Panhandle of Nebraska from North Carolina on Friday and will finally bring Jed home. 

Meghan told Stolen Horse International, "We will be leaving Friday and hope to get there Saturday afternoon. It's about a 24 plus hour drive.  I am Bringing the big man back to the east coast!"

It was just luck that Meghan's post was seen by these women. And throughout this whole time, Jed has retained his original name, Jedadiah, which means 'Loved by God.'

Sherry Fortner did the right thing and added to the miracles in this story.

Sherry says, "I’ve been looking for a horse like Jed for about 10 years now, a horse that has energy and personality yet is still well mannered and safe for my 65-year old self. Jed checked all the boxes. He was a gift to me from my dear friend, Cheryl Eileen Smith when osteoporosis ended her riding career. That just made him all the more special to me."

"We had plans to go to an endurance ride in July, not to compete but to do a slow ride, enjoy the scenery, and visit with old friends. That obviously isn’t going to happen but it’s so worth it to see Meghan’s joy and to know that I can be part of making that dream come true. There will be other rides and other horses but this will always be a bright spot in my memory. I’ll miss Jed like crazy but I don’t regret sending him home with Meghan for one minute. I’ll cry when he leaves but I’ll smile at the memory for years," she adds.

'People sometimes ask us why we never give up on a horse? Just recently someone questioned why we work with owners who are searching for their horses as Meghan has done for so long," says Debi Metcalfe, founder of Stolen Horse International- NetPosse. 

"Miracles happen every day to someone. It happened to me when we brought our horse home. Now it has happened to Meghan and Jed too. If they can be alive by age then there is always a chance a horse can be found."

Metcalfe continues, "Never underestimate the power of one" which is one of our taglines, says how we feel best.  You never know when that power is going to be the miracle a person, or a horse, needs most is going to kick in. We never give up hope!"

In closing, Meghan adds, "Without the power of social media and the thousands of people that were reached with our story, I would have never been able to find Jed. I will forever be grateful for the efforts of everyone who shared our story."

Amen to that! Now, go find a missing, lost, or stolen horse on NetPosse.com or their Facebook page and share it. You never know when you will be the ones to connect the dots for a victim.

Resources: 
Meghan Fry
Star Herald, After 10 years, a Panhandle horse will return to his childhood home, 
https://starherald.com/news/local/after-10-years-a-panhandle-horse-will-return-to-his-childhood-home/article_624c68d4-6e68-59e1-8d18-2fb317d39216.html