When This Woman Bought A Bag From Goodwill, She Never Expected To Find This Inside
Sarah Thomas from Oregon absolutely loves shopping at thrift stores. She likes the thrill of hunting for the perfect item and the perfect deal. Sarah even started her own business reselling items she found in thrift stores on Facebook. One day she came across a vintage designer bag in a Goodwill store and she knew she just had to have it.
At the time, Sarah had no idea that this bag would end up changing someone's life forever. Keep reading to find out what was hiding inside the bag.
Sarah Picked Up A Purse That Was Heavier Than Expected
Sarah Thomas, an expert thrift shopper, saw a vintage designer bag in a Goodwill in Oregon that she was instantly attracted to. She bought the bag right then and there.
After she brought the bag home, she noticed that it was heavier than most other bags of the same size. At first, she just thought that the bag was made out of really heavy materials, but then, as she turned the bag over to inspect it, something inside it moved.
Bargain Hunting Was Her Calling
Sarah started rummaging through the bag to see what could be inside. She was running her hand along the bottom of the bag when she noticed a hole in the lining. She put her hand into the hole and felt a strange rectangular object.
Sarah knew that this object couldn't be part of this purse. Sarah has a real knack for thrifting and bargain hunting. This wasn't the first vintage designer purse she ever bought.
She Thrifts A Lot But Usually Doesn't Find Much
Sarah was so good at finding bargains that she turned her hobby into her own clothing resale business. She opened a Facebook page titled Sarah's Southern Oregon 2nd Hand Deals. People flocked to her page in droves and eventually, Sarah was able to generate a good amount of income.
Every week, Sarah would scour the local thrift stores for products, knick-knacks, and antiques that stood out to her. She found good deals but never anything like what was inside this purse.
The Items She Came Across
Sarah came across all kinds of questionable items in her line of work. A lot of the items she saw at thrift stores were worn or damaged. She knew that she couldn't resell an item that wasn't in good condition.
When Sarah came across the bag in question, she was drawn to it because it was in very good condition. Also, the bag was being sold for the very low price of three American dollars.
A Lucky Purchase
Not only was a designer label diaper bag, but it was vintage. That's double the points in her book, so there was no question that Thomas was going to purchase that sweet bag.
The best part was that it looked good as new, the epitome of a rare find. She thought to herself that the bag would fetch at least $200 in resale value. She bought it without hesitation. It was when she made it home that she realized something...
The Item Inside The Hole
After Sarah got home, she noticed that there was something moving around inside the bag. "I was cleaning it and just noticed something heavy shaking around in there," Sarah Thomas explained.
At first, Sarah was worried that there might be something in the bag that was illegal or dangerous. Whoever owned this bag previously must have been in a hurry to get rid of this valuable item. Who knows what they may have left behind?
Curiouser And Curiouser
Pretty soon, Sarah couldn't contain her curiosity. At first, she thought she should just return the bag without investigating any further, but her curiosity got the better of her.
She wanted to know what was inside the lining of the bag and she wanted to know why it had remained hidden the whole time the bag was int he Goodwill shop. She started digging into the bag's lining. Little did she know that she was about to uncover a seven-year-old mystery.
A Hint Of Silver
Sarah shone a light into the opening in the lining of the bag and when she did so, she saw a glint of silver. She still didn't know what they object was, but she knew she had to find out. Sarah started widening the hole so she could get to the bottom of the bag and the mystery.
Sarah carefully pulled away at the seams so as not to damage the valuable bag too much.
It Was A Camera! But Who Did It Belong To?
As she plunged her hand deeper into the hole in the fabric, she felt something hard and cold brush her fingers. She recognized the object as something metal. She managed to get her fingers around the object and pull it out of the bag.
To Sarah's surprise, she was holding a brand-new Sony digital camera! Now that one mystery was solved, Sarah had a lot more questions. Who did this camera belong to? Where did it come from?
Examining The Memory Card
Sarah held her breath as she pushed the camera's "on" button. The camera still had some charge in it, although it wasn't fully charged.
At first, Sarah was reluctant to look through another person's private photos, but again, she just couldn't contain her curiosity. Also, she knew that this was the only way this camera could be returned to its rightful owner. Sarah began flipping through the pictures that were on the memory card in the camera.
Sarah Was Suspicious
What she saw was pictures of a younger woman and a baby. She assumed it was a mother and her child, and with each new photo, her heart sank even more.
Picture after picture, it wasn't long until she reached the end of it all. She felt such shock by what she had seen. Well before she got tho the end of it, she knew something had to be done about it, but what?
Jumping Into Action
When asked if Thomas had any hesitation about trying to figure out what to do, she gave a great response: "I live by the golden rule. I would hate someone to do that to me."
Thomas made up her mind and knew she had to take action. Looking at the photographs was more than enough to ignite this passion in her. In her heart, she knew it was the right decision to make, and she couldn't have been more correct.
Connecting With The Photos
Being a mother also propelled her into action. She knew how she would feel if she had lost a camera with such valuable memories in it. Some moments are irreplaceable, and photos help you remember them better.
She thought about all the precious moments she had with her child, such as the day she went home with her baby for the first time from the hospital, and her child's first steps. She had to do something to find the rightful owner.
Finding The Owner
That's when it hit her like a sack of bricks. Thomas already had a substantial following on Facebook so she figured she could share the photos online and hopefully someone would recognize them!
"I would hate to lose pictures," Thomas recalled. "It might not be much, but it is to somebody." She wondered if the owner would even still be in the area or not. There was a chance that the original bag owner might've lost it years ago.
Social Media Is Good For Something
Thomas made a post on Facebook that read: "I'm not sure if this is ok to post here, but I purchased a diaper bag at the Goodwill and found a blue Sony Cybershot camera inside with photos. Does anyone know who this family or people in these pictures are? I want to make sure they get their camera and most definitely their SD card."
Thankfully, the owner was nearby. It was a miracle, and she had social media to thank. What else could have had the power to find someone in such a complex situation?
The Person Behind The Photos
Only one hour after the initial post, the owner of the bag revealed themselves, and it happened to be one of Thomas' followers. Her name was Katie Conner, and she was confused by the whole ordeal.
Thomas reached out via Facebook Messenger and told her that she had her camera and the SD card that was filled with timeless photos. That's when Conner had no idea what she was talking about. Thomas sent her some pictures in hopes of jogging her brain.
Meeting At Target
Once Conner saw the photos, she nearly burst into tears. She thought all of those memories were lost forever, but she couldn't have been more wrong! It was an excellent time to be thankful.
Thomas arranged a meeting with Conner at the local Target so she could give back her valuable memories. Thomas had no clue it was going to be such an emotional reunion, and what was to come next. We can imagine that Thomas felt a burst of joy during all of this...
A Thankful Mother
"Thank you!" Katie blurts as she strides up to Thomas with a look of unparalleled joy. After Thomas handed her the camera with all the memories, Conner said, "I think we thought it was long gone!"
That's when she told Thomas just how long the camera was missing. Thomas couldn't believe it. How was the camera still alive after such a long time? How did no one else find this precious item after all this time passed?...
The Camera Was Lost For Seven Years
The year was 2017 when Thomas came across her lucky Goodwill find, but the camera came up missing in 2010. That's seven years of lost memories. We understand why Conner was confused at first because that is quite a while.
Conner's baby was only one-year-old in many of the pictures, but she was now seven. That's an incredible time capsule if you think about it. Conner couldn't wait to scroll through the photos and see all those good times!
A Beautiful Ending To The Story
Conner thought her camera would never get found, let alone return to her possession. Thanks to Thomas, the thrifting master, all of her past memories were back in her hands and heart.
Thomas remained humble about the whole thing and thought her deed wasn't anything too special. "I would think that anyone else would do it, but I guess maybe nowadays that isn't the case," she said in an interview.
The Story Of A Woman Who Saw A Man Abandon A Package At The Airport
Back in February 2016, Tampa resident Ivelise Hernandez ended up doing something remarkable for a total stranger.
The whole story began when Hernandez and her boyfriend took a trip over to Tampa Bay's St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. It was there that she witnessed something that was so impactful to her that it inspired her to become even more than just a good Samaritan.
Not A Normal Day
Hernandez and her boyfriend were bound for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when they made their incredible discovery. What was going to be a typical day of traveling turned out to be the opposite of what the couple had expected.
While most people want to forget about ever being in an airport, this would be an experience in the airport that she would never forget. Yet, the whole story was set into motion long before Hernandez ever even stepped foot on the airport.
Going Through Security
In fact, the entire episode began unfolding while the couple bound for Pittsburgh were going through security at the airport. Hernandez noticed that there was apparently an issue with something in a fellow passenger's bag ahead of her in line.
It turned out that the passenger had a restricted item inside of their luggage that they weren’t allowed to take past that point. Unfortunately, the passenger was then asked to throw the object away to their dismay.
Strict Rules About Liquids
When traveling on airplanes these days, officers from the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, have strict rules regarding people traveling with liquids. The typical rule is that air travelers aren't allowed to bring items that contain more than 3.4 ounces of fluid with them onto the airplane in a carry-on bag.
This is why it’s extremely common to see people being forced to throw away things such as shampoo, water, and other beverages at the security checkpoint.
One Of A Kind
Usually, although it may not be pleasurable to throw away your toiletries or drinks, most of those items can be replaced once you get past security or once you get to your destination.
However, in this instance, it wasn't something that could be replaced like a bottle of water. Hernandez could tell that the male traveler was being asked to throw away something of sentimental value. But regardless, he had no say in the matter.
Something Felt Off
The man even politely asked if he could place the bag in the airport's lost and found, that way, he could get it back somehow no matter what the means. Unfortunately, airport security denied his request, and he reluctantly threw the object away in the trash.
While watching the whole situation unfold, both Hernandez and her boyfriend both felt that something about the whole situation didn’t feel right.
Peeking Into The Trash
So, Hernandez's boyfriend went into the trash to uncover what the man had been forced to leave behind. When he looked inside of the trash, he found a box.
So, he pulled the box from out of the bin in order to see what the contents were. When he opened the box, he understood why the man had desperately not wanted to part with it. It really was of sentimental value.
The Truth About What Was Inside
When they opened the box, they discovered that the contents inside was a snow globe. However, this wasn't just any old snow globe that people buy while on vacation. This one had photos of what appeared to have pictures of family members inside with a meaningful inscription that said "We love you Katie. Nana and Papa 1/25/16."
Upon seeing this heartfelt message and the pictures, the couple knew that they had to do something to return what the man had lost.
A Plan To Help The Man
After the couple made their heartbreaking discovery, they couldn't help but feel terrible that the man was forced to leave such a precious item behind, especially that he had to throw it away.
So, the couple devised a plan. They decided that the best thing to do would be to track the man back so that they could hopefully return it back to him.
Turning To The Internet For Help
The couple decided to use the tools that they had at hand and took to the Internet, a place where almost any problem can help be solved. They logged onto Facebook and wrote a post about the situation.
They then asked the people of the Internet to share their post in hopes of it eventually reaching the poor man that lost his meaningful snow globe. They were desperately hoping that their message would eventually reach the man at the airport.
The Next Steps
While the couple knew that their post on Facebook might just be a shot in the dark, it was still worth a try. However, they could have never anticipated what would happen next.
Hernandez admitted that "I thought it would share a couple hundred times," she told Fox 13 News in April 2016. Amazingly, on the same day, the post had gone viral. The post was being shared thousands of times with more every minute.
A Record Number Of Shares
Hernandez and her boyfriend were still hopeful, however, they thought that maybe their post would just eventual die down and fade away entirely. Yet, seven days since their original post, it had been re-posted more than 48,000 times.
The two were completely awestruck by the power of the Internet considering they thought the post would only receive a little attention.
The Snowglobes Caught Somebody's Attention
As a result of their effort and with a little bit of Internet magic, the couple finally got the information that they were looking for. An employee from the gift shop Things Remembered came across Hernandez's post.
There was something about the snow globe that caught her eye and made her think that she had seen it before. So, the employee hopped into her work's database to try and figure out who had ordered to snow globe from the store.
The Rightful Owner
Miraculously, the Things Remembered worker managed to track down the name of the person that had originally ordered and purchased the sentimental snow globe. The customer that had ordered the gift was named Linda Modry, who had purchased the globe as a gift for her granddaughter Katie.
Unfortunately, the little girl never got the globe that was meant for her, as her adopted father had been forced to throw it away at airport security.
The Story Made Headlines
Thanks to the help of Hernandez and her boyfriend, along with everyone that shared the post on Facebook, it looked like a reunion was in the making for the little girl and her intended snow globe.
Fox News 13 then picked up the story and followed it all the way up until the beloved snow globe was returned to the original buyer. Modry arrived at Hernandez's doorstep to receive the gift that she and her husband feared they had lost forever.
In Complete Disbelief
When Hernandez opened the door to greet Modry, she handed her back the once-missing gift. Modry was overwhelmed with joy and appreciation that Hernandez and her boyfriend had gone through all of this to return the snow globe. While embracing, Modry said, "I can't believe that you did this."
She even brought Hernandez flowers to show her gratitude for everything that the couple had done for her family. While Modry was still in disbelief, Hernandez was happy just knowing that the gift had been returned to its rightful owner.
Just Doing Her Best
Opening up about why she did was she did, Hernandez commented that "My mom always raised us to always be good to people. If it was me, and I lost my snow globe, I'd want the same thing to happen to me."
So, to Hernandez, returning the gift was the obvious thing to do, because that's just how she was raised. While Hernandez didn't think it was that big of a deal, Modry saw her actions as nothing but selfless and purehearted.
A Real Act Of Kindness
Modry proclaimed that "People are basically really good, and she's just exceptional." With that being said, it's not wrong to say that plenty of other passengers may have been interested in seeing what the man threw away, but would not have gone to these lengths in order to make sure it got back into the right hands.
But thankfully, Hernandez and her boyfriend were on the scene, a couple that were willing to do what it took to set things right.
Treating Others As You Wish To Be Treated
People other than Modry and her family thought that what Hernandez and her boyfriend did was incredible as well. Facebook users from all over thanked Hernandez and her boyfriend for showing the world that a little kindness can go a long way.
One user even posted, "So happy the owner was found! May God bless you and your boyfriend ten times over!" In a world where social media isn't always the nicest place, Hernandez and her boyfriend proved that it doesn't always have to be that way.
Restoring Our Faith In Humanity
While for some people, a missing snow globe might not be the end of the world, the story isn't just about a snow globe. It's proof that there are still people out there that are willing to do the right thing, even if it means putting some extra work in.
Hernandez and her boyfriend didn't do it for fame or for a reward, but because they knew it would make a family happy. Their story has been an inspiration to many people which has hopefully encouraged others to act the same way.
The Story Went Viral
There's nothing like having your actions praised on social media to reaffirm your decision to do the right thing. As news of Hernandez's kind deed spread to various social media outlets, she found some pretty terrific feedback from strangers. Her one act of paying it forward had made a huge impact on others' lives.
On the Facebook page for a group called Love What Matters, people expressed how happy Hernandez's actions had made them. Many said she would be blessed in return for her good deed.
Blessed With A Baby
It turns out that all those strangers on Facebook were correct in saying that Hernandez would be blessed. Two years after returning the snowglobe, Ivelise shared that she is now expecting a child of her own.
It's difficult to imagine anyone being so fit to be a great mother as Ivelise! She will undoubtedly be a wonderful parent. And it turns out that her actions at the airport that day had unexpected effects elsewhere, too.
Snowglobes Are Now Allowed On Planes
There's now some great news for fans of snow globes. Lisa Farbstein with The Transportation Security Administration told NPR that it's now OK to bring snow globes along with you, under one condition.
She said, "You can now carry on small snow globes, as long as they are put in those plastic bags along with your other small bottles of liquids." They also must be smaller than a tennis ball.
