What started out as a regular day of fishing for a young man, turned into an astounding discovery he will never forget. His uncle, who had joined him next to the water for the day, will never forget the excited yells and the sight of a bent fishing rod, which indicated that something large was waiting at the end of the line.
A Leathery Catch Emerges
Boy Stumbles Onto Lost Purse In The Lake, Calls Police When He Realises What’s Inside
Rushing to help his nephew to gain control of the line, the man simply wasn’t prepared for what was coming their way that day. A soggy, leathery shape emerged a few seconds later, with passers-by noticing that this definitely wasn’t the gigantic fish they had hoped it would be after all.
The Gift To Trump All Gifts
At just 11 years old, Brodie Brooks was always happy to join his uncle for a fishing session. He loved the serenity of the being by the water and spending time in the company of the men he was closest to. He had recently just received a brand new fishing rod as a birthday surprise, adding to his excitement about the fishing adventures that awaited him and the day ahead.
The Gift To Trump All Gifts
A Day On The Lake
No one had expected this fishing trip to include anything that special or too out of the ordinary. Everyone was ready for one of their regular trips, spending a day next to the lake. The family often went on these fishing trips together, spending a long day together in the peace and quiet of nature, packed lunches in tow. But instead, on this day, they found themselves fishing for something quite unexpected.
A Day On The Lake
Prepared and Patient
The group had set off that day to Lake Hartwell in Anderson Country, in the heart of South Carolina. Like any fishing expedition, they all set off with the intention to catch some incredible fish. Armed with their boat and ready to hit the lake, they set up their fishing rods and eased into the morning. It turned out to be one of the most majestic days on the water.
Prepared And Patient
Fun by the Water
An important part of any fishing trip is both the silence and serenity but also the fun banter to pass the day. This usually includes a lot of joking and laughter, all as important as delicious and well-prepared sandwiches to give energy to stay on the lake for as long as possible. Little did they know that later in the day they would be dealing with local authorities, in relation to their catch of the day.
Fun by the Water
Learning The Ropes
Ben Myers was watching over young fisherman Brodie during the course of the morning. He was the one to shown the young man how to bait and cast out his new fishing rod, and he really enjoyed having these family outings together. They both knew how hard it was to actually catch a fish, and that it was more about the process than the outcome. Neither of them really had any expectations that Brodie would end up catching anything on his first try.
Learning The Ropes
An Astounding Discovery
Ben had prepared Brodie for that so that he wouldn’t be disappointed, telling him to enjoy the environment and experience and not expect to catch something necessarily. So it is easy to imagine Ben’s total shock and surprise when young Brodie yelled that something was tugging at his line. But shortly after, his excitement turned somewhat to worry, especially once he actually discovered what his nephew had in fact caught.
An Astounding Discovery
Catch Me If You Can
Brodie felt a huge tug on his fishing rod and was sure that there must be a big fish on the end of his line, especially as it was bobbing his rod up and down consistently, and felt pretty heavy. “I remember the day quite well,” he said. “I’d just gotten a brand new Ugly Stik, so when the line started pulling so vigorously, I was worried I might break the rod.”
Catch Me If You Can
What Did I Just Catch?
Brodie felt afraid that the line was going to snap and concerned for his new rod, he tried to pull it up gently. But nothing could prepare him for what he was about to pull out of the water. Brodie pulled up what looked to be a bag from the water, he unzipped it, with a moment of shock when he saw the contents. Realizing his find, he immediately called his uncle, to show him what he had gotten his hands on.
What Did I Just Catch
The Secret Item in the Purse
It was a quite unique looking leather purse! Both Ben and Brodie were so surprised! When he touched the purse for the first time, he realized that it must have been very old. It was hard to say exactly how long it had been in the water, although one item hidden between the contents of the bag helped to get him closer to knowing when the bag had last been used.
The Secret Item In The Purse
Decent Condition
The purse was a little tricky to make out at first as it was covered in mud from the bottom of the lake. Once he had cleaned it off a bit in the clear water, he saw that it was slightly faded but still in a surprisingly great condition. When opened up, the men found some valuables inside. While it wasn’t easy to tell what some of the items were, there was one in particular that caught Ben’s eye right away.
Decent Condition
Overcoming Initial Disappointment
At first 11-year-old Brodie felt quite das and disappointed that he didn’t catch what was supposed to be a gigantic fish, but he quickly overcame this when he realized they had stumbled onto something special. He had been convinced that it was a fish, because of how the rod was bobbing! But soon enough the disappointed subsided and he became excited at the prospect of discovering some treasure!
Overcoming Initial Disappointment
The Precious Contents of the Purse
Brodie, his cousin, and Ben were even more intrigued when they realized the purse was full! They emptied the contents out onto the deck, and they were so surprised at what they discovered. There were all sorts of things in there, and surprisingly, still intact! There were even old, dated photographs, but although there were a few faces staring back at them, nobody knew exactly who the contents of the purse may actually belong to.
The Precious Contents Of The Purse
A Bag of Many Discoveries
They all started to sift through the contents of the purse, and passing the items one to another trying to figure out answers to the mystery as to whom this might belong to and how the purse ended up in the lake! As everyone kept looking through all the different items, their goal kept switching from seeing what it contained to discovering who the owner was, as well as the niggling question of how it ended up here.
A Bag Of Many Discoveries
There’s a First Time For Everything
In a later interview, Ben mentioned that they may catch a can or something similar in the lake from time to time. “As far as a woman’s purse, well that’s a first for me!”. As someone who had been fishing in the lake since he was a little boy, he really was surprised that his nephew had caught something as prominent as a purse. They all felt they had stumbled on to a mystery.
There’s A First Time For Everything
A Friendly Face
Among all the items, there was a collection of credit cards, keys, money, lipsticks, and a planner was there. Clearly, the owner liked to keep many things by their side! As the contents of the bag spilled onto the shore, everyone searching through the items soon realized something important. Ben noticed that the woman staring back at them in one of the photographs, the possible owner, was someone he actually knew!
A Friendly Face
Racking His Brain For Clarity
Could it really be? Was this a coincidence, or maybe fate? Ben recognized the woman from his childhood, though he struggled to place her completely. After a few minutes of contemplation, he had an aha moment, realizing that he had attended school with her nephew many years back. He hadn’t seen that face in more than a decade, it was quite remarkable that he recognized her all these years later.
Racking His Brain For Clarity
Bizarre Coincidence or Stroke of Fate?
Ben really couldn’t believe what he was looking at. Ben was already astounded by the fact that they had fished up a purse in the first place! But it really was totally bizarre that they had done that and for the purse to have so many pictures that survived the water for so long, and then for him to recognize who it belonged to. Strange. He jokingly told reporters how weird it was finding a bag of a long lost friend!
Bizarre Coincidence Or Stroke Of Fate
Tremendous Shape
It is really hard to fathom that all the items in the bag actually held up while being kept under roughly thirty feet of muddy water for so long, that even the pictures, though slightly faded in parts, were mostly intact. And thankfully so! This was a key component in helping to recognize the owner. On initial inspection, Ben found store cards, some photographs, two tubes of lipstick, and a comb. Both the cards and the photographs put the picture together and made it easier to identify that a woman had lost the bag.
Tremendous Shape
The Big Question: What Happened To The Bag?
The discovery of the bag resulted in so many questions. The first being who it belonged to, the second was what had happened to the bag and how it arrived at the bottom of lake, and the third was how long it had spent at the bottom of the lake. The biggest question seemed to be why the bag was there in the first place. The personal effects in the purse also made them want to return it to their owner.
The Big Question What Happened To The Bag
Secrets on the Shore
Cosmetic contents aside, the bag also included a lot of photos of people, seemingly taken a very long time ago. Again, it was surprising that they had preserved so well underwater, especially given the long time they were immersed below.
Secrets On The Shore
We Can’t Be 100% Sure (Yet)
Regardless, it would not be possible to make sure who the owner was without opening up a part of the purse containing additional secrets. Items like a driving permit gave an indication as to which State she lived in, and further digging led the guys to discover where she went to school.
We Can’t Be 100% Sure (Yet)
A Familiar Face Starting Back
Some photos were more damaged than others, so Brodie and Ben took careful steps to separate them with additional care. The photos were laid out to dry, to be inspected later. One picture, in particular, caught their eye right away.
A Familiar Face Starting Back
Time To Call The Authorities
Upon seeing the familiar face staring back at them, the guys knew right away that they needed to report the missing bag, with the hope that the owner would be able to be tracked down. Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket right away and rang the police.
Time To Call The Authorities
Putting Two & Two Together
When Brodie said he thought the woman looked familiar, Ben’s memory was triggered and he remembered her right away. Speaking with ABC News, he told them that she was a friend of the family who had been to school with a nephew, but that it had been ten years since he had last seen her.
Putting Two And Two Together
Foul Play?
A common topic of discussion between the men was how the purse had ended up in the lake in the first place, with most wondering about how long it had been there. Ben worried this may be evidence, especially if the bag had been taken in a criminal act. He didn’t want anyone to get in trouble for touching possible evidence, which he warned the others about.
Foul Play?
Tracking Down The Woman in the Picture
Following their report to the police, Ben tried to find some relatives of the woman on social media. His search led him back to her nephew, who was equally stunned that the purse had been recovered after what he said was many years of being lost.
Tracking Down The Woman In The Picture
Can It Be True?
Reaching out to his aunt right away, the woman was shocked to receive his call. At first thinking it was a prank caller, she even contemplated hanging up, checking the calendar to see if it wasn’t April Fools after all.
Can It Be True?
The Woman in the Pictures
As it turned out, the owner of the purse was 49-year-old April Bolt, who was astounded to be reunited with the bag. Speaking to reporters, she stated her shock and almost being at a loss for words. “I never thought I’d see it again,” she said.
The Woman In The Pictures
Standing The Test of Time
As it turns out, April had lost the purse all the way back in the early 90’s, in 1992. This meant that the bag had been underwater for twenty-seven years! Everyone was astounded by the shape it was in, and the fact that the paper in the bag stood the test of time is nothing short of a miracle.
Standing The Test Of Time
The Seal Made All The Difference
As a result of the purse being sealed shut, most of the contents, including her 1990’s hair comb, remained intact after all these years, even after spending more than 25 years at the bottom of a deep, dark lake.
The Seal Made All The Difference
Suspicious Circumstances?
April believes her purse had disappeared under strange circumstances. Ben and Brodie were shocked to hear that she didn’t just lose her bag outright. The assumption was that she had dropped it overboard by accident, though she remembers that day a little differently.
Suspicious Circumstances
The Story Behind That Fateful Day
Back on that Summers day in 1992, April had attended a cookout at Lake Hartwell. She explained that they had been on a boat, as her parents owned a condo nearby, and they had spent the afternoon grilling burgers, while the boat was parked near the shore. What happened next?
The Story Behind That Fateful Day
Where’s My Bag!
When she realized that her bag was gone, she immediately assumed that two strange guys fishing nearby had taken it while they weren’t looking. At the time, this was the most logical explanation to April, as it had felt like the bag had disappeared right from under their noses that day.
Where’s My Bag
Devastation Sinks In
April remembers feeling devastated at the time. “I was crying, even though there wasn’t a lot of cash in the bag… maybe like $60,” she said. What you have to remember, is that she was someone who lived out of her bag, as evidenced by all the content. She was already upset at the fact she had to replace all of her cards, which is a stressful process in itself.
Devastation Sinks In
It’s The Little Things You Miss
April soon realized that there were some things that couldn’t be replaced. “My favorite lipstick was in there, and the color was discontinued,” she explained. Everyone thought it was pretty incredible that the lipstick in her bag still looked as good as it did when it was discovered after 27 years at the bottom of a lake!
It’s The Little Things You Miss
The Most Valuable Item
Lipstick aside, April was more upset about losing something that wasn’t a material object. There was something in the bag that money couldn’t buy. What exactly was in the purse that was so important to her?
The Most Valuable Item
Sentimental Items
Among the items recovered were photographs of her son, when he was a baby. Unlike in modern times, photos were taken back then were not digitally stored. You may have ended up with one photo of a loved one, and that was about as far as it went. This is why the photo was of sentimental importance to April.
Sentimental Items
The Price of Timeless Photos
It’s impossible to put a price on photos taken almost thirty years ago. April explained that her son had been just fifteen months old back then and that all his professional photos had been stored in her wallet. Water damage aside, she was happy she could still make him out in the pictures.
The Price Of Timeless Photos
A Day To Remember
When Brodie and Ben were asked about the turn of events for the day, they remained shocked and speechless as to what had transpired. Ben told ABC News that it “was pretty wild”. They both expressed excitement at fishing up a purse, as well as knowing who the owner was, which made it a day to remember.
A Day To Remember
Brodie Reflects on His Catch
11-year-old Brodie was still more keen to have caught a fish, rather than a purse. It is understandable for a young man to feel this way, but perhaps returning a prized possession to someone makes for a better “first catch” memory with his brand new rod.
Brodie Reflects On His Catch
Trading Fish for Treasure
Anticipation aside, Brodie was slightly disappointed when they reeled in the leathery purse from the murky water. Ben recognized it for exactly what it was, laughing slightly at their fortune (or misfortune), depending on how you look at it. As Ben said, “I told him, ‘You ain’t got no fish, you got a treasure!”
Trading Fish For Treasure
Twenty Years Later
What was the purse owner thinking when she was reunited with her long lost belongings, which she parted with over twenty years ago? There’s no doubt that she was enthralled. When you lose something dear to you, it can be difficult to get over it.
Twenty Years Later
Some Stones Left Unturned
April mentioned that when the purse was recovered, she was simply over the moon, despite having a few lingering questions in the back of her mind. Shock aside, she was processing having resided to the fact that she would never see her favorite purse again in her life.
Some Stones Left Unturned
Clarity About That Fateful Day
Let’s take a closer look at how things transpired. Is it possible that April’s bag was stolen all those years ago? Perhaps she was confused and it had actually fallen overboard. How likely is it that it was stolen on the lake, and dumped in the same place?
Clarity About That Fateful Day
Who Took The Bag?
If it did get stolen, that begs the question of who took them in the first place. Who had their eye on her bag that day, wanting to remove it from her at the opportune moment? While it’s likely that we’ll never find out exactly, April has said that it crosses her mind from time to time.
Who Took The Bag?
A Gift From The Universe
April remains quite intrigued by the purse making it back to her. It’s not a case of why Brody and Ben returned it to her, but rather if there was a bigger reason for the universe to help the purse find its way home. April believes there may be bigger workings around all of this.
A Gift From The Universe
Return of the Memories
Convinced thanks to her friends reminding her about it, April still thinks there has to be a bigger meaning for the bag returning itself to her all these years later. “I’m sure God will reveal that in time,” she was quoted as saying. Until then, she is basking in all the memories the contents of the bag have brought back to her. “It is so precious to have it back,” she concludes.
Return Of The Memories
A New Memory For April and Her Son
April’s son had never seen the photos of him as a baby before. How amazing must it have been to join his mom in uncovering long lost photographs of a long time ago? Perhaps, both were equally excited about the prospect of the bag resurfacing that fateful day!
A New Memory For April And Her Son
Take Me To Your Treasure
Mike was convinced that he would never find buried treasure in his lifetime. Adrenaline pulsating through his veins, he had no idea that what he was about to find would be completely unique. He made sure to get the authorities involved when he discovered what he had found.
Take Me To Your Treasure
Memorable Childhood Games
Most children are fascinated by the thought of buried treasure. A lot of games share a common goal of working together to find specific items. ‘Hide and seek’ is a well-beloved game, along with the gold ol’ Easter egg hunts. There is something magical about finding something after putting in the effort to track it down in the first place.
Memorable Childhood Games
A Happy Rainy Day?
A lot of people find excitement in discovering an item once they’ve put in the effort of seeking it out. This was most certainly the case on a fateful rainy day for one man in particular. Armed with a metal detector, what he found that day was something he couldn’t have imagined.
A Happy Rainy Day
Mike The History Buff
Mike Smith is well known among his friends as a history buff. Those who know him will tell you how much he cherishes the idea of finding the hidden treasure, especially if the item was buried a long time ago. Some allude to the fact that this is his favorite activity to do in the whole world.
Mike The History Buff
A Different Hobby To Most
On any given day, most people like to go shopping or spend their time glued to Netflix. Mike is not your typical guy however, as he prefers to spend his time out in a field, geared with his metal detector.
A Different Hobby To Most
Keep Coming Back For More
While it’s rare to find something big or valuable, others engaging in this type of activity mention that the addictive nature brings you back time and time again. Mike often visits areas he feels give him the best shot of success at this hobby, and sometimes his planning pays dividends.
Keep Coming Back For More
Braving The Weather
Hunting for treasure is certainly not for everyone, as most people don’t have the discipline to brave the weather conditions to do so, especially in Pembrokeshire, England. The area is constantly wet and rainy, and Mike has known it to be this way all his life.
Braving The Weather
Defying The Odds
Conditions aside, as the town is relatively small, the chance of finding anything of particular value is slim to none. You can’t get very far with a few old pennies, after all. Turns out, the pennies would help Mike to change his luck on that fateful morning.
Defying The Odds
Nature Calls
To his surprise, Mike discovered that the field he usually frequented to go searching for treasure had been flooded due to steady rains over the course of the week prior. Despite this, he was determined to continue on his quest.
Nature Calls
A Lucky Day
Mike had a strange feeling that morning, with a general sense that this was going to be a lucky day for him. Undeterred and ready to go to another field, he had little to no clue that something valuable was awaiting him in just a couple of minutes.
A Lucky Day
Resilience
Arriving at the new location, Mike couldn’t be sure of what was awaiting him that day. Soon, he would be grateful that he had decided not to give up on the day following the flooded field. A little bit of hope goes a long way.
Resilience
What’s Out There?
Mike was sweeping his metal detector far and wide that day until he heard its usual low humming beep. Excited, he continued to walk around, and the beep carried on. This was somewhat uncommon, and he was starting to wonder if the detector was broken or not.
What’s Out There?
Never Give Up
Perplexed initially, he was hopeful that his metal detector wasn’t starting to act up as a result of the bad weather. In fact, he had almost given up hope regarding finding anything that day, but a voice in the back of his mind kept telling him to carry on.
Never Give Up
Get Curious, Get Rewarded
Residing to the fact that his detector was working after testing it on another object, he started to wonder if there was something massive underneath the surface of the field. Mike had a strong curious side, and there was only one way to discover what it was. Could this be a life-changing day for him?
Get Curious, Get Rewarded
Wild Thoughts
A decision was made to start digging, as he could no longer ignore the fact that something was lurking under the surface of the ground. Ideas and throughs flooded his head, unable to shake the feeling that something valuable was about to reveal itself to him.
Wild Thoughts
Relentless Digging
Abandoning his metal detector, he whipped out a shovel and started digging on the spot. The wet dirt moved effortlessly as he dug. Soon, a clank would tell him that there was something metallic in the area he was digging in.
Relentless Digging
Getting Your Hands Dirty
Mike got so excited that he started using his hands to dig out the last bits of dirt until he could get his hands on the object. Pulling it out with all the might that he could muster, what had he stumbled onto?
Getting Your Hands Dirty
Plan B
No matter how relentlessly he pulled, what felt like a rusty piece of metal just didn’t want to budge, no matter how hard he pulled. It was decided that he should keep digging, so he moved his efforts around the mysterious object, and carried on.
Plan B
Not Budging, Not a Problem
As the dirt around the object started to clear, it became evident that it may be connected to something else. But what? Curiosity continued, as he wondered what was so large and heavy, that it didn’t even want to move a single inch, even as it got closer and closer to being separated from the earth. No stopping now, Mike!
Not Budging, Not A Problem
Discovering What It Was
Mike kept digging without stopping, until he discovered yet another link, now totaling three. A chill ran through his body, and he now couldn’t believe what he was looking at. He had discovered what the object was after all.
Discovering What It Was
Chained To The Dig
Needless to say, this was a very peculiar object. It had iron links that felt like they ran on and on and on. Continuing to unravel these links, he noticed that they went deeper and deeper into the soil. But what were they all attaching to?
Chained To The Dig
Darkness Approaches
As nightfall started to show itself, Mike realized he had been digging for hours and hours. Not wanting to stop, he checked for a flashlight, but he had forgotten to pack it. It seemed like the mystery would need to be solved another day.
Darkness Approaches
One Long Night
Heading home, he felt tired and slightly deflated, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get much rest that night. He decided to let a couple of close friends know about what he had seen, and what he was busy doing. Mike pondered a lot of theories about everything that could possibly be attached to the rusty chain he was untangling.
One Long Night
A Potentially Hazardous Find
What if it was something dangerous? This thought had crossed his mind, although he was sure that regardless of that, it was going to be a unique find. Perhaps it was something that someone didn’t want to be discovered? This only encouraged him further, leading his dreams to digging and more digging…
A Potentially Hazardous Find
Remaining Optimistic
Mike had read about old burial sites in Pembrokeshire, so his mind lingered to whether this might be a part of his discovery. Hopeful that this wasn’t the case, he remained cautious about this, as he didn’t want to offend anyone. Nerves were starting to creep in.
Remaining Optimistic
Anxiety Overload
As the uncertainty trickled in, he had moments of true horror, picturing what it may be. He tried to remind himself of the power of positive thought. While not willing to let it go and walk away from the scene, he remained anxious about what awaited him the next day.
Anxiety Overload
Magic and Mystery
History knowledge in tow, he knew that Pembrokeshire was a land of enchantment and wonderment, especially in the way it was described by 11th-century folktale collection author The Mabinogion. Could anything be possible with this find?
Magic And Mystery
Sea Mythology?
Steeped in myth and legend, one of the last remaining Welsh outposts is surrounded by the Celtic sea. This added to his curiosity about what was underneath the surface of the earth in that field. Questions, and more questions, were to follow.
Sea Mythology?
A Haunting Experience
As a result of this, the town had become known as one of the most haunted places in the world. Mike wasn’t prepared for the fact that he was about to come face-to-face with the murky and somewhat troublesome history of the very country he had grown up in.
A Haunting Experience
A New Dawn
At the crack of dawn, Mike was ready to go, packed and armed with everything he may need. He headed straight for the field, with a hunger to find out what was at the end of that elusive, mysterious chain.
A New Dawn
Calling In For Backup
He began to wonder about the secrets he was about to uncover, and he got curious about how long they had been there. Little did he know that his search would lead him to an encounter with the police that day. Everyone on the scene was about to get a surprise of a lifetime.
Calling In For Backup
Eye Catching
Arriving that morning, Mike found the scene exactly as he had left it, so he was ready to jump straight in. There was a slight feeling of apprehension this time around, albeit that it was quickly trumped by his excitement. As he uncovered more, his eyes caught something in particular.
Eye Catching
Solving The Mystery Once and For All
His shovel hit a smooth surface, widening his expression as he wiped off additional dirt, discovering something firm and brown. He was in disbelief when he realized what he was looking at.
Solving The Mystery Once And For All
A Malicious Find
Mike was a metal detector specialist, so he was aware of the laws that surrounded the nature of any of his discoveries. He didn’t, however, think that what he discovered that day would lead him to have to call the local authorities. This was a once in a lifetime situation!
A Malicious Find