'My mom's gonna kill me': Indiana man loses dentures and his search to find them
MISHAWAKA, Ind. — It is not uncommon to misplace a wallet, keys, or a phone after a big night out. But one local Fighting Irish fan lost something much more personal following Notre Dame’s victory over top-ranked Miami on Saturday.
Lifelong Mishawaka resident Mike Weirich lost his dentures amid the post-game celebrations. His wife, Melissa Weirich, took to Facebook to ask the community for help tracking them down, and the post quickly gained traction online.
"My mom's gonna kill me," Weirich said. "I really think I might have spit them out while I was yelling, 'Let's go Irish!'"
To figure out where the missing teeth ended up, Weirich had to retrace every step of his night.
The evening started when his friend Gene picked him up. The group made stops at a friend's house and R.B.I. Sports Bar & Grill on Jefferson Boulevard, where staff know Weirich well.
"Mike Weirich, our longtime customer... well, he's loud, plays pool, drinks Miller Lite on draft, and he's been coming here for years," R.B.I. bartender Christina Dillon said.
From the bar, the celebration moved to his sister Maureen’s house in Mishawaka.
"The game went great, and we celebrated," Weirich said. "And there might have been some Jäger bombs. I know there was a couple of tequila, tomato juice, and pickle juice celebrations towards the end of the game. Well, when we won, we all came outside."
Weirich said when Notre Dame secured the win, he ran outside into the street and heard the entire neighborhood chanting. He believes that during the excitement, his teeth fell out. He even got down on the ground to search the area where he was celebrating.
Now on day three without his dentures, Weirich said he is already feeling the physical impact of the loss.
"I lost about three pounds," Weirich said. "Soup and taters."
Weirich said anyone who finds and returns his missing teeth will not go empty-handed. He is offering a reward of adult beverages and a pan of his famous homemade lasagna.