Un distretto scolastico della Virginia è riuscito a rintracciare un ex studente per farle sapere che avevano trovato il suo portafoglio smarrito, quasi 70 anni dopo che è scomparso.
A contractor found the wallet in some ductwork in the rubble of the old Poquoson Middle School gym, which was torn down as part of a multimillion-dollar school renovation project.
The wallet was in pretty bad shape, but it held a few clues that helped school officials track down the original owner — Ester French, who’d gone to nursing school, gotten married, changed her name, and has lived in Connecticut since 1957.
“When I heard about it I couldn’t believe it,” francese, 85, ha detto alla CNN.
Inside were two faded pictures, Christmas stamps from 1951, a calendar from that year, e 85 cents in silver coins, a school official told CNN affiliate WTKR. There was also a little, blue address book and a yellowed newspaper clipping asking readers to pray for the Navy sailors serving in the Korean War.
She says she doesn’t remember why she saved that particular article, but there are a lot of Navy bases near Poquoson in southeastern Virginia.
“I’m not sure why I had that,” lei disse. “Maybe when I see it, I will know. Hey, we’re talking about a lot of years, sai?”
French remembers putting the wallet on a ledge in the gym and realizing that it had fallen down a hole that went deep down in the brick building.
“There was nothing to do about it when I lost it,” lei disse. “I perhaps reported it at the time, but I knew that I couldn’t get it and I was feeling bad about it at the time.”
She said she probably earned the money working Saturdays at a dime store or doing odd jobs at her neighbor’s farm.
She said she probably earned the money working Saturdays at a dime store or doing odd jobs at her neighbor’s farm.
She said she lost the wallet during the 1951-52 school year when she was 16 o 17. The school was the high school at the time.
Poquoson City Public Schools Superintendent Arty Tillett told CNN that it took some digging to find French, but they found a relative, who still lives in the area.
“This is a small town with a lot of deep roots,” Tillett added.
Tillett said they had a nice chat about her time at the school when he called to tell her about the find. He said they are going to send it to her.
French said it has brought back fond memories of her high school days, and she’s gotten calls from a cousin and a classmate, who got back in touch after hearing the story.
Her children and grandchildren are also looking forward to seeing the wallet.
Her children and grandchildren are also looking forward to seeing the wallet.
“It was absolutely shocking. It was a surprise and we’ve had a lot of laughs about it,” lei disse.
