On July 30, 2023, the city of St. Paul honored its hometown hero with a surprise bronze statue, unveiled before a crowd gathered at Lake Phalen Regional Park. The date was officially declared “Sunisa Lee Day,” celebrating the gymnast’s historic Olympic gold and her impact on the Hmong-American community. The artwork, created by local artist Seexeng Lee, stood as a tribute to Lee’s athletic excellence and to her cultural legacy. Now, exactly two years later, that tribute has vanished. The statue was stolen within 24 hours of the anniversary. The aftermath? Here’s what’s happening…

In the latest development, authorities confirmed that Lee’s commemorative statue, situated at Lake Phalen Regional Park, was stolen within the past 24 hours. Created to mark her gold medal win in Tokyo and unveiled in 2023. Now, that symbol of community drive has been removed in what police are calling a deliberate act of vandalism. “We need your help. The statue of Suni Lee that resides at Lake Phalen has been stolen,” the Saint Paul Police Department posted. “The brass statue, along with the rock with her nameplate on it, was taken within the last day. We are actively working to find the statute.”

Lee’s family responded swiftly and with clarity. “Suni’s family is deeply saddened by the news of her statue being destroyed and removed from its original location. This senseless act of vandalism is not only heartbreaking but also a disgraceful crime. Destroying public property—especially one that holds such symbolic and historical significance—is truly deplorable.” Their words reflected the sorrow felt across St. Paul, where Lee’s achievements had been a point of pride for years.

The artist behind the statue, Seexeng Lee, expressed his dismay. “I was dumbfounded, totally surprised, honestly heartbroken, because not just a beautiful art piece by itself. It’s not just that. It’s of someone that we all know and we all admire and we all I thought we all love, and so for that to happen, I’m just dumbfounded, just shocked,” he told FOX 9. Police have not yet determined a motive, though theories range from attempted resale to a possible prank. “I don’t think there’s anything that indicates that this was, like, targeted towards Suni herself or anything like that,” said Nikki Muehlhausen of the St. Paul Police Department. “Right now, that’s all under investigation. What this was, was it a prank? Is it someone is, you know, stealing it for, hoping to sell it for, you know, the metal we don’t really know.” Suni Lee truly proved her worth on the international stage, and it was not a cake walk for the gymnast.

The entire Suni Lee’s statue story…

The theft has raised many questions, not just about who took the statue, but how they managed to remove something so securely installed. Police say the bronze statue of Suni Lee was securely attached with metal rods and weighed between 30 and 50 pounds. It wasn’t something that could be easily taken without effort. The rock with her nameplate was found dumped in Lake Phalen, but the statue itself is still missing. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from a nearby police camera and have sent alerts to local scrap yards in case someone tries to sell the metal.

The statue of Sunisa Lee, a source of immense pride for the Hmong-American community and the city of St. Paul, was a $33,000 project funded by city funds and community donations. Its absence leaves a void in the park and in the hearts of those who saw it as a symbol of local achievement and cultural legacy. Until it’s found, the empty spot where the statue stood will remain a visible wound in a park that celebrated a champion. For now, the authorities are actively investigating the matter and will provide updates as they become available.