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After 11 months, Sicamous couple鈥檚 missing martian comes home

The Coates鈥 Marvin the Martian sign a popular highway landmark, missed by many
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The Coates鈥 Marvin the Martian sign was returned to their front door after being missing for 11 months. (Nancy Coates/Facebook)

Marvin the Martian has found his way home.

After being lost for almost a year, Nancy and Terry Coates鈥 well-known Marvin the Martian sign was returned to their home last weekend, delighting the pair who had missed the alien watching over them from the BC Hydro pole at the end of their driveway.

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After being away for the weekend, the Coates returned late Monday (Oct. 23) and as she tiredly reached for the door handle, Nancy said she was pleasantly surprised to find the sign leaning against their front door.

Attached to the sign was a note that said a woman and her daughter had heard someone may have seen the sign in the bush near Two Mile beach, and the two of them went to try and find it. After trying to return it a few times while the Coates鈥 were away, the mother and daughter decided to leave the couple a surprise.

鈥淚 was told your family鈥檚 stolen sign was just sitting outside, and sure enough, there it was, slightly hidden under some bush,鈥 reads the letter. 鈥淚t made me very sad someone would do that. I heard you were a really nice lady that drives a bus and we wanted to give it back.鈥

Nancy said the letter included a phone number and she called to offer the women the promised $50 reward. The woman, who didn鈥檛 give much personal information, wouldn鈥檛 take the money or any offers to buy them dinner. Nancy said they just wanted to do the right thing.

Although the sign is missing the brackets used to hold it to the hydro pole outside the Coates鈥 home, Terry said he plans to fix it up and find a welder to attach it again.

The Coates plan to have the sign welcome travelers into Sicamous again.

鈥淲e鈥檝e thought about it, and so many people miss the sign, still ask about it when we go into town,鈥 said Nancy. 鈥淎lthough we won鈥檛 put it up in the shape it鈥檚 in鈥

鈥淚 bet the person [that stole it] never dreamed there would be this much controversy.鈥

The Coates鈥 have lived in Sicamous and the surrounding areas for many years and the sign was a popular landmark that guided drivers along the highway. Locals commented on the sign鈥檚 return on social media with messages of relief and glee to see the alien back at home.

鈥淲e鈥檙e so happy to have it back.鈥

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Rebecca Willson

About the Author: Rebecca Willson

I took my first step into the journalism industry in November 2022 when I moved to Salmon Arm to work for the Observer and Eagle Valley News. I graduated with a journalism degree in December 2021 from MacEwan University in Edmonton.
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