(WXYZ) — Thursday brought the moment of truth for a giant pumpkin in Waterford that was poised to break records.
In case you missed our story from last week, check it out below:
But here's a quick recap: A man named Frank Morse grew a pumpkin. A giant one.
It all started as a pandemic hobby that quickly sprouted into a full blown passion.
And this year, he grew a monster.
We came back to the Waterford garden today, because it was the first time he got to weigh it — unofficially, of course, and there’s always a chance that things could go horribly, horribly wrong.
"It could be rotted underneath and it could all pour out," said Frank before the big lift.
But we stayed positive as Jim Reed with Adlers Service Inc. rolled up with a truck ready to go.
"I've lifted many things, not a pumpkin. This will be a first," laughed Reed.
Then, the moment we were all waiting for. The truck lifted, the pumpkin stayed intact and the number on the scale lit up, hovering around 2,350 pounds. For reference, the state record clocks in at 2,118 pounds, the U.S. record at 2,528 and the world record is at a whopping 2,702.
"Well it's a state record, hopefully ... I thought it would be a little bigger," laughed Frank when all was said and done.
We never thought we'd get emotional over a fruit, but you could say we just got pumpkin-vested in the outcome.
Now the pumpkin, lovingly nicknamed Big Dawg, is on its way to a festival in Ohio to get officially weighed and hopefully squash the state record.
"I needed that U.S. record ... next year, we'll be at it again!" said Frank.
Update: the giant pumpkin was official weighed at Operation Pumpkin in Ohio and clocked in at 2,350 pounds, breaking the Michigan record.
