IRVING, Texas — Miles of trail system stretch through Irving -- twists and turns that take joggers by the work of Artist Rob Banda.
"I see the subtleties and see stuff that can never be fixed, and that's just me being the critic on myself," Banda said.
That's why it hurt so much when this summer someone decided to steal this fifty-pound wood statue back in August.
"I was just taken aback, like why would someone take it? If someone went through all the trouble with a hacksaw to walk a half a mile and haul that thing," Banda said.
Banda was hurt but wasn't defeated. The Texas Chainsaw Carver, as he's known, proved that he's back and stronger -- five custom statues we're carefully wobbled out to replace the one bird that someone decided to steal. "Just the generosity of Rob to come out here and to do this out of the kindness of his heart for the citizens of Irving it's just tremendous," said Joseph Moses of the City of Irving Parks and Rec Department.
The birds will likely be scattered around the trail -- proof that if this community is wounded they come back stronger.
"I need to make it look as real as possible," Banda said.
We first told you about this story back in August. The City of Irving says that since the news coverage someone decided to turn the statue in -- here it is on an evidence table -- too damaged to go back out in the field. These new carved wood statues will take his place.
And in this case, a selfless act by a member of the community actually brought out the best the city has to offer.