Thrift Shops
Surfing thrift stores for that special something maybe a rewarding activity, with the added pleasure of scoring a great deal. Treasures, apparel, and other trinkets can be found at a minimal cost. But you can't help but wonder about the previous owner of your findings.
One woman was going to discover the history of a strange item, and her discovery would rock her world.
Muumuus
Shannon Hiramoto, a Kauai native, spends all of her time scouring thrift stores for a very specific type of dress – vintage muumuus. Muumuus are both flattering and comfortable. “So I’m always hunting for muumuus, that’s my hobby, vintage ones,” she explains.
So she was overjoyed when she discovered a whole rack of muumuus in a Salvation Army in Lihue. But, as she gleefully began to remove them from their hangers one by one, something caught her eye and took her breath away.
Sense Of Familiarity
She picked the dress from the selection and was overpowered by a strong sense of familiarity. She tried recalling where she had seen something similar before. She lifted the dress to examine the lovely frilled V-neck collar.
Shannon was going to uncover that there was much more to this garment than met the eye.
Further Inspection
“I saw this beautiful muumuu right here, and I’m like, ooh, a mini one, because you know it’s always fun finding a shorter one,” she recalls in an interview.
But it wasn't until she looked closer that she realized this outfit was more than it appeared.
Checkout
Shannon took a look at the Liberty House tag attached to the collar and spotted something written on it - one word, scribbled in faded permanent marker.
Before anyone else could see the dress, she grabbed it and dashed to the checkout line, money clutched securely in her fingers. She needed to know more.
Writing On The Tag
Shannon couldn't shake the idea that the word inscribed on the tag of the muumuu signified something. But she also understood that finding a message written specifically for her in a thrift store was nearly impossible. But how else could she explain the feeling in her chest after seeing it?
She willed herself to recollect by tightly closing her eyes.
Remembering Something
In her mind's eye, a shape began to develop, and then it began to come into focus. A vivid pink-dressed lady. As she smiled knowingly, her battling spirit and zest for life shone through. Despite the fact that she had lived a long life and died at the age of 108, she had a message for Shannon.
Shannon had the distinct impression that discovering that garment had been the single most significant event of her life.
A Hidden Past
Shannon knew the truth with every beat of her heart, but she wanted confirmation before making a fool of herself. Was she wrong? The rational side of her brain told her she needed to discover evidence, but she needed to delve further into the family secret to do so.
And when she did, the consequences were massive.
Seeing A Ghost
Shannon wondered how a single word could be so potent that it sent shivers down her spine. She dashed home to her mother, her suspicions trailing close behind. Fortunately, she was waiting for me. Shannon wanted her input on what she had discovered, and she hoped that they could solve the mystery together.
But when she showed her mother the dress, her face became pale, as if she'd seen a ghost.
A Name
Mrs. Hiramoto was taken aback by the word written on the label. Her pupils dilated as she moved her gaze from the dress to her daughter's face. Shannon observed as every feeling rushed through her, from joy to heartbreak and all in between. Shannon's mother's hands began to shake.
Shannon had never imagined that one word could bring her mother to tears. It wasn't simply a word, though. It was a name.
Realization
The name was "Kamei," written in the clothing owner's hand. Shannon felt shivers run down her spine as she watched her mother's face change with realization. She knew there weren't many individuals with that name in Hawaii.
In fact, she had only heard of one before.
Old Photos
Shannon informed her mother about how she found the dress, and she sat there dumbfounded. Shannon waited for her to recover before carefully studying the outfit once more. Mrs. Hiramoto then began to nod gently, admitting that Shannon's assumption regarding the dress' prior owner could be right.
Shannon's mother paused for a second to ponder before walking into the next room. When she reappeared, she was carrying a stack of photo albums. Shannon's heart jumped with each turn of the page as the two proceeded to inspect each photo.
Empty Hand
Shannon realized she had little chance of finding what she was looking for, but she had to start somewhere. However, when they got to the end of the albums, they still hadn't found the answer.
Shannon was disappointed having no more images. She was no closer to resolving this puzzle than she had been when she began. She accepted the fact that she might never know the truth. Shannon, though, was unaware that her mother had not given up.
Message From Mom
Shannon had spent a whole day searching through the old photo albums, but they had found nothing. She'd almost given up hope. She knew her wild idea had been ridiculous, but she couldn't help but be disappointed when her search turned up nothing.
Then she saw a message from her mother, which made her heart skip a beat.
Real Owner
A few days after Shannon had talked with her mother, she got the text. Her mother had sent her the photos she had known about but had forgotten about.
“And it’s this, and it’s her. It’s a full-body shot and I was just so excited! My mom said it was the last photo in the last album she looked at.” Shannon was certain now. Her beloved great-grandmother had owned the muumuu.
Great-Grandmother
"But it also had handwritten Kamei on it and it blew my mind because that’s my great grandmother’s name. Her last name." Shannon's great-grandmother, Florence Shizuko Kamei, was born in Kekaha in 1904.
She couldn't believe it! The incredible coincidence of finding her outfit after all these years was mind-boggling. The wise woman, on the other hand, had a message to give.
Life Advice
Shannon recalled: “One of her legacies is that when she passed she was the oldest person in Hawaii at age 108! When she died they announced it on the radio and news!” But what was the woman’s secret to a long, happy life?
The answer is simple…
Green Tea And Hobbies
Shannon recalls with a laugh, "green tea and hobbies." Shannon's mother, on the other hand, remembers more. She recalls her wearing long flowing gowns and a smile at the corners of her mouth if she wasn't already laughing.
Great-grandmother Kamei was a cheerful woman who enjoyed singing and playing her ukulele in the church choir.
Named After Her
Shannon's great-grandmother was such an inspiration in her life that she named her kid after her.
The name means "quiet child" in Japanese, however, neither Shannon's great-grandmother Kamei nor Shannon's daughter was quiet!
Memories
Shannon had spent the last two days going over her childhood recollections of this particular pink dress. She was certain she remembered seeing her great-grandmother wearing it. She admits, though, that memories can be deceitful. “It seemed familiar, but in this memory way,” she explains.
Even now, she's not sure if it was an actual recollection or if she just wanted it to be one.
One Memory Preserved
Then she uncovers an old photo. Shannon's great-grandmother poses in the identical muumuu that Shannon had found. The photograph was taken in front of her church, The United Church of Christ, in the historic county of Hanapepe.
“What’s really special about it is she’s there,” Shannon said. “Her ashes, her remains are in the back of the church there, so it was like visiting her again.”
Magic
Shannon reveals: “She passed five years ago, so, I have no idea where it had been between that point and now.” But what does Shannon think about finding the beloved muumuu after all this time?
She says: “It’s magic!”
Happy Coincidence
Shannon believes she discovered the dress for a very important cause that is considerably more significant than a happy coincidence.
She has faith that it was a special message from her cherished great-grandmother. “I think it’s just her way of telling me I’m on the right track,” she explains.
“I’ve come full circle and feel like she is smiling down on me or at least giggling," Shannon admitted in an interview with a local news station. She intends to keep the muumuu as a prized heirloom in her family.
And when her kid is old enough to wear it, she will tell her the incredible story behind it.
Serendipity
Shannon's absolute serendipity in discovering such a precious family heirloom in a resale store is priceless. To find a piece of your own history could be ecstatic.
A story to tell for generations to come.