Fishing Day
Brodie and his uncle had a one-of-a-kind fishing day. The youngster had recently gotten a new fishing rod and was eager to put it to the test with his uncle.
The afternoon was memorable, but not for the reasons they had anticipated. They decided to contact the cops when the youngster had an old bag on the line instead of a fish.
Shouting And Waving Arms
The experience began with a flurry of screams and gestures. Brodie's fishing rod began to flex, which could only mean one thing: he had hooked something large.
His uncle knew he couldn't do it alone and rushed over to assist. However, no fish emerged from the water...
It's Not A Fish
Fearing that they might lose their catch, the guys gently took the line out of the water. They began to see a leathery item as their capture was practically out of the water.
It wasn't a fish, either.
A Memorable Excursion
Brodie Brooks, 11, was looking forward to a memorable fishing day. It was, but not in the way he had anticipated. His uncle had persuaded him to join him on a boat ride.
Brodie had gotten a brand-new fishing rod for his birthday and, of course, wanted to put it to the test.
Unusual Incident
The fishing trip gradually devolved into an odd experience, especially for a child.
He went out on the lake with his uncle and cousin to catch fish with his new fishing rod, but he caught something altogether different.
Reeling It In
Brodie's uncle, Ben Myers, was overjoyed at the prospect of guiding his nephew with his new fishing pole. He demonstrated how to properly connect the bait and handle the rod for the best results.
Ben wasn't expecting Brodie to catch much because it was his first open-water fishing expedition.
From Joy To Terror
Ben was proven to be incorrect. Soon later, the youngster began to scream that he had caught something. His pleasure swiftly changed to anxiety once he understood what his nephew had caught.
He was fascinated by what emerged from the water... something he hadn't anticipated.
What Is That?
“My rod was splashing back and forth,” Brodie said. “Whatever was on my line was extremely heavy and I thought I had caught a huge fish.” He was more than proud that his first outing with his new rod was such a success.
But he had one fear: “I was afraid my rod was going to break.”
Bag That Has Seen Better Days
They knew it wasn't a fish once the leathery thing got out of the water. It looked like an old sack. This isn't just any bag. It was obvious by the weight of the catch that there was something within.
Brodie didn't even pause to consider it before undoing the zipper. He was shocked when he discovered what was inside and called his uncle Ben.
Quite Old
When Ben lifted it up, he saw it was an old bag. He couldn't say for sure how old it was. However, something fell from the bag and revealed the truth. You wouldn't think anything of the bag would be leftover.
Anything that has been in the water for that long does not appear to be in good condition. This bag was not one of them. The leather had become filthy and discoloured, but it was still sturdy and solid.
Objects At Random
The men unzipped the bag and took another peek inside. They spotted a variety of items, some of which they couldn't name.
However, when Ben spotted one of the things, his heart began to race.
Tense
The uncle suddenly got concerned about the contents of the soaking wet leather catch. A stack of old, bleached pictures was the first item his nephew removed.
The men kept searching through the bag since they didn't identify anyone in the images.
A Woman's Bag
They had a lot of questions, but one thing was certain: this was a lady's bag. This was validated by the contents. Ben couldn't believe his eyes.
He'd been fishing here with his mates for years and had never seen anything like it.
Mysteries Adding Up
Surprisingly, the contents of the bag appeared to be in fine condition. There were a few shopping cards, lipsticks, and combs among the items. What became to the owner of this bag?
And how long had the bag been at the lake's bottom? Their discovery raised a slew of questions.
Riddles
To begin with, there were many images of people in the bag. The images, based on their colour and clarity, had been taken tens of years before. Finding the owner of the luggage appeared to be an impossible task.
Or perhaps not? They discovered the solution to the riddle when they opened another pocket in the bag.
Yet Another Pocket
There was another pocket in the backpack which could have easily been overlooked. There were even more old photographs within.
Ben and Brodie disassembled the photographs in order to dry them.
What Had Occurred?
The men were drawn to one particular photograph. One of the individuals in the photographs was staring at them. It was undeniable. They were sure of what they were seeing. But it was bizarre nonetheless.
They felt goosebumps down their spines and dialled 911.
An Old Friend
His uncle recognised a woman's face in one of the photographs. Brodie recognised her as well. Ben had known her for years as a family friend.
He hadn't seen her in over a decade. What was the significance of her bag being in the water? Would this be of any use?
Dumbfounded
Ben and Brodie called the cops. The uncle looked up her name, as well as her family and acquaintances, on Facebook. During his search, he came across her nephew's profile. Ben informed him that they had discovered the bag.
The nephew was astounded to learn that they had discovered the bag at the lake's bottom after all these years. He instantly contacted the rest of the family to inform them of the situation.
The Owner Of The Bag
April Bolt, who would have been 49 years old at the time, was the owner of the bag. She's still alive, by the way! The woman couldn't believe the suitcase she'd misplaced in 1992 had been discovered.
She had always assumed that it had been taken with bad intent.
Events
April was at an event at Lake Hartwell on a specific day in 1992. They were on a boat when they decided to have a barbeque. It was then that she lost her bag.
“There were two boys fishing there and – I don’t want to accuse anyone – but when we got back, I immediately realized that my purse was gone,” April says.
Broken Heart
“I cried so hard. It took so much effort to block my IDs and credit cards,” she remembers. “My favourite lipstick was in that bag too, and the colour was no longer being made.”
But there was something far more significant in the bag than her stuff. When she lost it, it shattered her heart.
Photographs Of Her Son
The saddest thing was that she had photos of her son in the bag. Her son was already 26 when Ben and Brodie discovered her luggage.
He was just 15 months old in the images. Her luggage also included photocopies taken by a skilled photographer. The images have water damage now, but you can still see him clearly.
Unbelievable
That afternoon, the youngster and his uncle couldn't believe what had happened to them. "What are the chances of pulling an old bag from the bottom of a lake and identifying the owner from the photos inside?" Ben wondered.
Brodie, on the other hand, was dissatisfied. Brodie had gone out to try out his new fishing pole, which had made him unhappy. His intention was to capture fish, but that did not go as planned. He didn't cast any more lines that day because of this one-of-a-kind catch.
A Priceless Find
His uncle assured him he had caught a real treasure, but the 11-year-old was not convinced. April was undoubtedly the individual who had the most fun on that day.
She was ultimately reunited with her items, which she had misplaced over a quarter-century earlier.