Mysterious Package At The Airport
If you saw something weird happen at the airport, what would you do? Take a look and see if you would do what this extraordinary passenger did when she saw the man with the package acting strangely near the garbage can….
Mysterious Package At The Airport
Leaving On A Jet Plane
Like any good boyfriend, Rico Bankston was driving his girlfriend Ivelise Hernandez to the airport. Ivelise had a ticket booked for Pittsburgh. It was about a two to two and a half hour flight. Not too bad. They weren’t expecting such a life changing day they when they arrived at St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport. When they arrived, Rico parked and accompanied Ivelise on her way into the airport, carrying her bag. Check-in went smoothly, but then security was a whole different story.
Leaving On A Jet Plane
Taking A Stand
When Rico and Ivelise got to the check in desk, the line wasn’t bad, and they were relieved, but when they got to security, it was a completely different story. A long line snaked back from the metal detectors and X-ray machines. At first, the couple didn’t know what the holdup was all about. But then, they heard a commotion coming from the front of the line. When they looked and listened closer, they noticed an argument going on.
Taking A Stand
The Great Debate
Although they could not hear exactly what was going on, they looked at the man arguing with the TSA security agent. To keep the line moving, the agents were letting by other passengers who had to get to their gates in order to catch their flights on time. When Rico and Ivelise got closer, they could see that the argument was over a package that seemed to belong to the man. What was this package that was causing all this commotion?
The Great Debate
Rules Are Rules
Although none of the passengers in line wanted to admit it, they were feeling a bit nervous about the argument. There are tons of rules about what is not allowed on flights, and everyone knew that it could be something dangerous. Maybe something sharp? Or a spray can with compressed air? Or something even worse. Whatever it was, it was clearly important for all the passengers safety that they stopped this man and made him get rid of the package.
Rules Are Rules
Getting Trashed
It’s not enough that passengers have to take off their belts and shoes, take out their laptops, and throw away their water, but there is also the scanner which does who-knows-what to see into your pockets and under your shirts. Luckily, despite these little annoyances, there are usually water bottles, sandwiches, and even gourmet food on the other side of the security line. But what this man had on him was definitely not a ham sandwich and definitely not available at the Duty Free.
Getting Trashed
Let’s Make A Deal
Ivelise and Rico, in the meantime, had moved forward in the line. People were passing by the arguing man and the TSA agent to catch their flights. Ivelise and Rico, however, were paying attention to the man. The stone faced TSA agent told the man that he needed to throw away this particular package. He was arguing back that perhaps it did not have to be tossed into the trash, but could be kept at the airport’s lost and found.
Let’s Make A Deal
No Can Do
The TSA agent eventually told the man that he would miss his flight if he did not just toss the package. The man took a moment, shutting his eyes, and feeling a lump develop in his throat. Inside, he knew what was going to have to happen next. He felt himself walking towards the trash can, and held the package, dangling it over the rest of the water bottles, candy wrappers, and other confiscated items. After a beat too long, he let the package fall into the bin.
No Can Do
Curiosity Killed The Cat
It was almost Ivelise’s turn at the security check, so she and Rico started saying their goodbyes. After a warm embrace, Ivelise and Rico could not help but wonder- what was so hard for that man to throw away in the garbage? It must have been something special. Suddenly, Ivelise got a crazy idea: Rico could go and fish it out of the trash and find out for the both of them. Who knows, maybe whatever it is is even worth some money?
Curiosity Killed The Cat
Gone Fishing
Rico did not have any plans of boarding a plane, so he figured he was free to wear shoes, hold full water bottles, and take whatever package he wanted with him. So he simply dug his hand into the trash can where the man had reluctantly tossed the package, and fished it out. Since it was the garbage near the security line, it wasn’t covered in filth, and mostly water bottles filled up the garbage. He held it up, feeling its weight, and squinted closely, wondering what was inside.
Gone Fishing
Nervous Flyer
Meanwhile, Ivelise was on board the plane, mid-flight. She jostled in her seat nervously. Not because she was afraid of flying, though. She actually enjoyed flying, and did not even mind a longer flight, as it was a good time to catch up on some movies she had missed. She was nervous and anxious to know what Rico had found in the trash. She could not wait to land so she could call. Finally, they touched down, and she turned on her phone immediately.
Nervous Flyer
Let It Snow
Rico was done waiting. He tore open the package, and wondered if maybe it was something valuable, something dangerous, something cool. But he soon realized that this was not the case. In fact, upon discovering what the item actually was, he couldn’t help but feel a little underwhelmed – as it was a snow globe! This was what had caused all the commotion?
Let It Snow
Not An Ordinary Trinket
However, upon closer inspection, it became clear that this was no ordinary snow globe. What made it stand apart from souvenir snow globes is the fact that it was personalized with photos: one of a little girl and a dog, and a second showing an elderly couple. Additionally, the snow globe played the song “Greensleeves.”
Not An Ordinary Trinket
Their Plan
Additionally, the snow globe featured an inscription that read: “We love you Katie. Nana and Papa 1/25/16.” Ivelise and Rico knew exactly what they had to do with this discovery. They knew that there was no way they could not track down the owner of this snow globe and return it to its rightful owner.
Their Plan
The Search Begins
Since Ivelise and Rico did not have any contact information for the owner of the snow globe, they knew that they had quite the mission ahead of them. They did not even have a name to help with their search – all they knew was that the owner had travelled on that same February day that Ivelise had flown through St.-Pete-Clearwater Airport.
The Search Begins
She Turned To Social Media
Ivelise hatched a plan. She decided to share a post on social media, which included a photo of the snow globe and the few details she did have about it: the engraving, the photos inside it, and how she came across it in the first place. Ivelise was determined to find the owner and bring a smile to his face, but she soon faced a problem.
She Turned To Social Media
A Small Network
Even though Ivelise had the best intentions in creating the social media post, she thought about how small her networks of friends actually was. She thought about the limitation this may pose in spreading the word. She and Rico remained optimistic, however, and figured that the post would at least be shared about 200 times. Little did they know, they were quite wrong.
A Small Network
It Exploded
In a twist of events, the post became completely viral! Ivelise’s post circulated through the social media site and was shared at an incredible rate. To her and Rico’s surprise, within a short span of time, the post was shared over 48,000 times! Despite this wonderful surprise, they could not help but wonder if this would still be enough to help find the snow globe’s owner.
It Exploded
A Step In The Right Direction
As the post’s shares continued to grow, so did Ivelise and Rico’s anticipation to find the trinket’s owner. Finally, one day, someone reached out to Ivelise regarding the snow globe. However, the person was not related to the owner exactly, but was an employee at a store called Things Remembered. The employee would share something that got Ivelise and Rico really excited.
A Step In The Right Direction
The Quest Moves Forward
Ivelise read the message and realized that they had made a huge breakthrough. The woman who reached out to her was not directly connected to the specific snow globe they had, but she recognized the exact model of the trinket. She passed along the photo to the company’s headquarters, hoping they could help. What happened next, nobody could have predicted.
The Quest Moves Forward
A Match Was Found
Once she got in contact with the headquarters, the employee was able to pinpoint a name: Linda Modry. Linda intended the snow globe to be a gift for her five year old granddaughter. The girl’s father, Michael, was the man that Ivelise and Rico saw at the airport, and he was meant to deliver the gift. As we know, things turned out differently, but things were about to get even more crazy.
A Match Was Found
Things Were Going Well
Ivelise and Rico were thrilled that the search had gone so well. Not only were they able to track down the Things Remembered employee, but she was actually able to find out who the snow globe belonged to. The two were excited to return the snow globe to its rightful owner. But they couldn’t predict what would happen next.
Things Were Going Well
Right Under Their Nose
Ivelise could not have imagined that the Facebook campaign would turn out to be so successful. As it turned out, Linda lived right by Ivelise and Rico. Best of all, the local news wanted to document the whole story! Soon Ivelise would find out just how meaningful her small act of kindness truly was.
Right Under Their Nose
Finally Reunited
The day had finally come. Despite a Florida tropical storm, Linda arrived at at Ivelise and Rico’s doorstep. She nervously arrived, her excitement reaching a peak. Did they really have her granddaughter’s lost gift? She was about to find out. These strangers were about to be brought together by fate.
Finally Reunited
Two Strangers Brought Together
The moment had finally come. As Ivelise opened the door, she saw Linda, who had brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers as a thank you gift, and the two immediately felt a connection. They quickly found themselves embracing each other, brought together by kindness and feeling overwhelmed with emotions.
Two Strangers Brought Together
Biggest Losers
Perfect Timing
As it turns out, the timing of the whole ordeal could not have been more perfect. As the two women’s emotions settled, Linda shared with Ivelise that her granddaughter’s birthday was coming up, and she was hoping to give her the snow globe. Had Ivelise and Rico not taken the time to pick up the snow globe and begin the search, Katie would not have gotten the snow globe as a gift.
Perfect Timing
She Couldn’t Contain Her Joy
As Ivelise finally returned the beloved snow globe to Linda, Linda became very overwhelmed. She was so overcome with joy thinking about how Ivelise, a total stranger, took the time to search for her. She was so thankful, but she knew that she was not the only one who would feel this way.
She Couldn’t Contain Her Joy
Michael Speaks Up
Linda wanted her son, Michael, to know exactly what was going on. Michael was the one who Ivelise and Rico saw at the airport. He had just visited his parents in Florida, and they gave him the snow globe to give to his daughter back home in Ohio. What he then shared with Ivelise brought everyone to tears.
Michael Speaks Up
A Special Date
Ivelise was finally informed what the inscribed date meant. It was not Katie’s birthday, but actually the date that Katie was adopted. The gift was intended to remind her that she is truly part of the family and that they love her and could not imagine not having her as a part of their family.
A Special Date
Katie Speaks Up
Ivelise was overcome with emotion and happiness that she could help out this family. She quickly realized that Michael was not the only one on the phone. Katie was also on the line, and her grandmother shared what happened with her. Katie could not contain her excitement and could be heard jumping with excitement!
Katie Speaks Up
A Simple Act of Kindness
Ivelise was happy she could help, but she did not think of herself of a hero. In fact, she said her mother had taught her to always be kind to others, and hoped that anyone would do the same for her. Linda promised that she’d pack the snow globe more carefully this time to ensure it would get to Katie safely.
A Simple Act of Kindness