A newly retired couple who just moved to New Orleans is working to rebuild their life, after decades of their hard work vanished in minutes.

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WEBVTT STOLEN. >> WE'VE NEVER MOVED BEFORE. NATALIE: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME NEWLY RETIRED COUPLE, JANE AND GREGG EIDEN PACKED UP OVER 40 YEARS WORTH OF STUFF TO MOVE CLOSER TO FAMILY. >> WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR SOME TIME. WE HAVE ONE DAUGHTER, SON-IN-LAW, AND ONLY GRANDDAUGHTER ALL LIVE HERE, SO WE HAD BEEN PLANNING IT. NATALIE: BUT THEY NEVER THOUGHT A FRESH START IN THE CRESCENT CITY MEANT LITERALLY STARTING OVER FROM SCRATCH. >> LIKE WE DID STARTING OFF, WHEN WE FIRST GOT MARRIED -- REPOPULATING THE ENTIRE HOUS NATALIE: THE EIDENS SAY LAST MONDAY, MOVERS PACKED ALL THEIR VALUABLES INTO A FULL-SIZED TRAILER, DROVE DOWN FROM COLUMBUS, OHIO, PARKED THE TRAILER AT A LOT ADJACENT TO THE SUPER 8 MOTEL IN NEW ORLEANS EAST, AND WENT TO DINNER. BUT WHEN THE MOVERS RETURNED, THE ENTIRE TRAILER WITH THE COUPLE'S CLOTHING, FAMILY PICTURES, AND FURNITURE, INCLUDING THEIR PRECIOUS, HAND-MADE BED -- ALL STOLEN. >> FOUR DECADES PLUS. IT'S IRREPRODUCABLE, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE. NATALIE: OVER FOUR DECADES WORTH OF MEMORIES. THEY HAVE JUST ONE WISH NOW THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. >> I JUST WANT THE MEMORIES BACK. USE IT FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT THE TRAILER FOR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS WERE IN IT. CAUSE TRULY, THERE'S NOTHING OF GREAT VALUE IN THAT FOR ANYBODY. THERE'S NO JEWELRY, THERE'S NOTHING OF VALUE IN IT. THAT ANYONE ELSE WANTS. NATALIE: BUT TO THE EIDEN'S, THOSE THINGS MEANT EVERYTHING. DESPITE THAT, THEY SAY THEY'RE THANKFUL TO SPEND THANKSGIVING

Advertisement Newly retired couple moves to New Orleans, has entire moving trailer stolen A newly retired couple who just moved to New Orleans is working to rebuild their life, after decades of their hard work vanished in minutes. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A newly retired couple who just moved to New Orleans is working to rebuild their life, after decades of their hard work vanished in minutes. Now, in their first few days of retirement, they're sleeping on an air mattress and shopping for basic necessities. It was the first time Jane and Gregg Eiden packed up more than 40 years’ worth of stuff to move closer to family. “We've never moved before. Our only daughter, only granddaughter and only son-in-law all live here so we'd been planning this for a while,” Jane Eiden said. But they never thought a fresh start in the Crescent City, would literally mean starting over from scratch. “We’re living like we did starting off when we first got married, repopulating the entire house,” Gregg Eiden said. Last Monday, the couple said movers packed all their valuables into a full-sized trailer, drove down from their hometown of Columbus, Ohio, parked the trailer at a lot adjacent to a Super 8 motel in New Orleans East and went to dinner. When the movers returned, the entire trailer with the couple's clothing, family pictures and furniture, including their precious, handmade bed, had all been stolen. “We’ve had that bed for four decades-plus. We had it before we were married. It's irreproducible. I'm not going to make another one,” Gregg Eiden said. Jane Eiden was at a loss for words. “I had to get away from being depressed, and almost breaking into tears and then moving on. I mean it's just stuff. It's not worth anything, it's just stuff. But at the same time, it isn't just stuff because it's memories. Over four decades worth of memories,” Jane Eiden said. As the Eiden's walk through their new, empty home, they have just one wish this holiday season. “I just want the memories back. I mean, use it for whatever you want to use that trailer for, but I would like to see some of the things were in it because truly, there's nothing of great value in that for anybody. There's no jewelry, there's nothing of value in it that anyone else wants,” Jane Eiden said. But to the Eidens, those things meant everything. Despite the theft, they say they're thankful to spend Thanksgiving with their daughter. Jackie Nguyen, general manager of the Super 8 in New Orleans East, said the motel is now working closely with New Orleans police and City Council members to install more lights and surveillance cameras by the lot adjacent to their building. New Orleans police have not made any arrests in the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!