Boxing promoter Don King's annual South Florida holiday turkey giveaway hit a snag Friday when the truck delivering the birds went missing.
King said the refrigerated truck delivering the $34,000 worth of turkeys was "hijacked" on its way to Pompano Beach.
"It's heartbreaking, it's more than disappointing," King told NBC Miami by phone Friday. "It shows the desperation of the times."
King's spokesman, Robert Weneck said the truck was found hours later several miles from Pompano, but the turkeys had to be returned since they couldn't guarantee they'd stayed refrigerated.
"We don't want to deliver turkeys that were out of our control," Weneck said. "Don didn't want to make everyone sick."
The turkeys were set to be handed out to the needy by King in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Friday. King, 80, said he's been handing out the turkeys for over 50 years and holds similar events in New York and Cleveland.
King, who flew in to Miami on a red eye flight from Las Vegas to hand out the birds, said they'll get another truck load of turkeys and hopefully give them away next week.
"It ain't over, the fat lady ain't sang yet, it's a temporary setback," King said. "I've been doing this for over 50 years and I'm not gonna miss this year."
