Boy Discovers Old Purse In The Water, Alerts Authorities When He looks Inside

This young boy thought he was going to have a normal fishing day when he made the discovery of a lifetime. His uncle heard some yelling, so he turned to see what it was all about and saw that the fishing rod was bending into the telltale curve, which meant something huge had been caught.

Catch Of The Day

This man noticed something off and rushed to help his nephew regain control of the line, but he wasn’t ready for what they caught that day. The waterlogged and leathery shape came into view. The other fisherman saw it was not a fish at all.

Fishing With The Boys

11-year-old Brodie Brooks was really excited that he was going to go fishing with the boys. He had just received a new rod for his birthday, and he was looking forward to having an epic adventure.

Out On The Lake

However, no one on the fateful fishing trip had expected something out of the ordinary to happen. They thought it would be a normal day on the lake, but instead, they reeled in some old purse with its contents still inside.

Waiting

The men went to Lake Hartwell in Anderson County in South Carolina, hoping to land the catch of a lifetime. They took out their boat to the lake, set up their rods and settled in for the day. What a beautiful day on the water it would be.

Friendly Banter

Then, they lazily exchanged banter, which they usually did while waiting for the first bite. They had no idea that they would be running to the police because of the catch of the day, let alone catching something at all!

Getting A Bite

Ben Myers was watching over young Brodie. Ben showed the boy how to bait Brodie’s brand-new fishing rod and how to cast it out. However, Ben didn’t expect the youngster to actually catch anything.

From Astonishment To Fear

So you can just imagine Ben’s astonishment when Brodie started to yell that he had gotten a bite. Ben’s excitement then gave way to fear as soon as he realized what his nephew had actually reeled in.

A Big Catch

“I felt like it was a big fish because it was bobbing my rod up and down,” Brodie said. He also mentioned he remembers that day quite well, “I’d just gotten an Ugly Stik, so I was scared I was gonna break my rod.”

But What Was It?

“…I was scared the line was going to snap.” When Brodie finally pulled the heavy bag from the water, he unzipped it, but once he saw what was in it, a shiver went down his spine. He then yelled for Ben.

The Purse

When Ben lifted the purse, he knew the bag must have been old. However, he didn’t know for sure how old it really. That was until a piece that was inside of it particularly gave the mystery away.

In Good Shape

Even though the brown leather was muddy and faded, the purse was in incredibly good shape. The men opened it up and found some things inside. Some items were unrecognizable, but there was one that left Ben open-mouthed.

Disappointed

Initially, this 11-year-old was disappointed when he didn’t reel in the huge fish he thought he snagged. He even said it felt like a fish because of how it was bobbing his rod up and. He was excited but also scared his rod was going to break.

What Was Inside

The waterlogged purse held contents that surprised the men. Old and faded photographs were a few of the first things that Ben and his friends pulled out, but they still didn’t know whose they might be.

A Bag Full Of Things

They kept on searching, hoping to find a clue as to who the owner of the bag was. Credit cards, keys, money, a wallet, a planner and lipsticks were among the items inside. Whoever the owner was sure kept a lot in her purse!

First Time For Everything

In an interview, Ben said, “We might catch a can here or something like that. But as far as a woman’s purse, that’s a first for me,” and he added, “I’ve been fishing on this lake all my life, and that’s the first time I saw something be caught like this.”

A Familiar Face

After they got the purse on to shore they began looking through it and they quickly realized something. Meyers noticed that he knew the woman and possible owner of the purse. What were the odds?

Unsure

He recognized her from something in his childhood, but couldn’t place the exact time or location. He though for a few minutes and realized that he had gone to school with her nephew. The weirdest part? He hadn’t seen her in over 10 years.

Crazy Coincidence

He couldn’t believe his eyes. He added in an interview “You fish up a purse for one, then you actually know whose it was. It was crazy.” As if catching a purse wasn’t weird enough, imagine it being the bag of a friend!

In Remarkable Shape

Thankfully, the things inside the purse were in remarkable shape even though it was under 30 feet of water. Ben started to rummage around inside the bag and pulled out some store cards, two tubes of lipstick, and a teasing comb.

What Happened?

However, there were still questions like what happened to the owner of the purse and how long it had lain on the lake’s murky bottom? Also, the biggest question was, why was it there in the first place?

Stored Secrets

Among the contents were plenty of photos of people who were taken quite a long time ago. However, they were still in great shape in spite of having been in the water for a really long time.

Impossible To Know

Nevertheless, it was still impossible to pinpoint who the owner of the purse was until they opened up a part of the purse which kept all the secrets. They figured out where the owner went to school, and which state she lived in.

Someone Familiar

There were more sodden photographs inside another compartment, and Ben and Brodie separated them with care. They laid the photos out to dry and then they inspected all of them. However, one specific picture caught their eye.

They Rang The Authorities

That’s when they noticed a familiar face staring back at them. They jumped in shock and in that instant they knew that they needed to call the police. Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed 911.

Possible Evidence

Ben recognized the woman in the photograph instantly and Brodie thought she looked familiar, as well. Ben told ABC News, “She was a friend of the family. I went to school with her nephew, but I haven’t seen her in ten years.”

Tampering

How did her purse end up in the lake and how long had it been there for? Ben became nervous when he realized that they may be tampering with some evidence. If this was, in fact, a criminal act, they could get in trouble for touching any evidence.

Finding The Woman

After they reported their find to the police, Ben searched for the lady’s next of kin on Facebook. His search led him to her nephew, who was very much surprised that the purse was recovered after many years.

Shocking Realization

The nephew got in touch with his aunt right away to let her know about the purse. You can imagine how shocked the woman was to receive such a phone call. She thought it was a prank caller at first and almost hung up!

The Purse’s Owner

The owner of the purse was 49-year-old April Bolt and she couldn’t believe it had been found. She said in an interview, “I couldn’t believe it. I was lost for words. You never think you’d see it again.”

The Test Of Time

She had lost the purse back in 1992! That means that this bag was sitting underwater for 27 whole years! That is quite a long time, especially for a bag that is in pretty good shape. The fact that the paper held up inside the bag is nothing short of incredible!

Sealed Shut

The purse was secured shut so all of the content, baby photos, lipstick, old cards, and of course her 1990s hair comb were all intact, even though they spent 25 years at the bottom of a 29-foot lake.

Suspicions

However, April believes her purse had disappeared under suspicious circumstances. What did she mean exactly? Both Ben and Brodie were spooked by the statement. They had assumed she had simply dropped it overboard by accident.

What Happened

Back in 1992, April attended a cookout at Lake Hartwell. She explained, “We were on the boat and my parents had a condo there and we were grilling burgers and we parked the boat in the slip.” So then what happened?

My Bag Is Gone!

“…There were two guys there fishing and – I hate to accuse anybody – but when we got back I was like, ‘My pocketbook is gone!’” It made the most sense to April that they were the reason her purse had gone missing all of a sudden.

Feeling Devastated

April felt devastated at the time. “I was crying… It wasn’t a whole lot of cash – maybe like $60. But a woman fits her whole life in her purse. It was devastating,” she recounted. The thought of needing to replace your credit cards is stressful enough.

Discontinued

It’s the little things that you miss the most. April recounted, “My favorite lipstick was in there and the color was discontinued.” We think it’s pretty amazing that the lipstick looks as good as it does after 27 years underwater!

What Was Hiding In There?

However, it wasn’t the cash or the lipstick that she was the most upset about losing. It was something far more important to April, something money couldn’t buy. What exactly was hiding in her purse?

Sentimental Value

Among the items which Ben and his buddies had found in the purse were baby photos of her son. As you probably know, photos were not what they are today. Oftentimes, people had one photo of a loved one and that was it. This is why the photo was so important to April.

Priceless Photos

With tears, April said, “My son is 26 now, but he was 15 months then, and I had all his photos that were professionally taken in my wallet. They have water damage but you can still make him out.”

Pretty Wild

When Ben and Brodie were asked about their incredible catch that day, the two still can’t believe it. Ben told ABC News, “It was pretty wild,” and he added, “You fish up a purse – for one – then you actually know whose it was…”

Not As Thrilled

On the other hand, Brodie wasn’t as thrilled to have reeled in an old purse rather than a fish. It is understandable that an 11-year-old would feel this way, after all. But how cool is it to return a prized possession to someone!

Treasure

It was clear on the boy’s face that he was disappointed when they reeled the leathery old purse in, but Ben recognized it for what it was. Laughing, Ben recalls, “I told him, ‘You ain’t got no fish, you got a treasure!’”

Over 2 Decades

However, what did the purse’s owner think about getting reunited with her belongings which had been missing for more than two decades? We’re sure she was thrilled. Losing something so special isn’t easily forgettable.

Unanswered Questions

April said the recovery of her purse “meant the world to her,” although she still has a few unanswered questions. It was still a shock since April assumed she would never see her favorite bag ever again.

Mixed Up

But first, let’s dive into things a bit more. Was April’s purse really stolen years ago? Maybe she was mixed up and it really had just gone overboard. What are the odds it was stolen while on the lake, and then ended up in that very same lake?

Who Stole It?

Second, if it was stolen, who stole it? Who had wanted her old purse so badly that they were willing to take it from her possession? Although chances are she’ll never find out, she sometimes thinks about it and wonders.

Reasons

April is also curious as to why the purse was returned to her. We don’t mean why did the young boy give it back to her, we mean what is the universe’s reason her purse found its way back home. April believes it has its reasons.

Memories

“Everyone keeps telling me, ‘There’s got to be a meaning to why you’re finding this so many years later,’” she admitted. “I’m sure God will reveal that in time.” In the meantime, she is enjoying all the memories which the contents of her purse have brought back. She concludes, “It’s just so precious to have it back.”

Exciting Moments

We bet her son has never seen the photos of him that were hidden away. How cool it must have been for him to uncover these old long-lost photographs. We wonder who was more excited, him or his mom?!

Real-Life Treasure

Mike never believed he would find buried treasure. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, he had absolutely no idea that this find would be completely different than all of the rest. He ended up getting the authorities involved this time around!

Favorite Childhood Games

Buried treasure is the kind of thing that fascinates every single child out there. Many games come with the end goal of finding certain things. We all loved ‘hide and seek’ as well as ‘Easter egg hunts’, right? There is something exciting about finding something after putting a lot of effort into seeking it out.

Hard Work Pays Off

There is something exciting about finding an object after putting a lot of effort into seeking it out. This was definitely the case on this rainy day for the curious man and his metal detector. What he found today is something he never expected to find.

A History Nerd

Mike Smith is a huge history enthusiast, and he simply cannot get over the idea of finding some treasure that has been buried beneath the earth a long time ago. Some would say it’s his favorite thing in the world.

Unique Hobby

On an average day, it is not uncommon to find people shopping or watching television. However, Mike is not your regular guy. His hobby happens to be going through a field with his metal detector!

Holding Out Hope

He does not always find anything huge or important, but the addictive quality of hope has brought him back there every single time. Mike frequently visits areas he thinks might be successful for his searches, and sometimes his hard work pays off.

Not For Everyone

It is certainly not a common hobby because not everyone has the tenacity to brave the weather conditions in Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom. It is often rainy and wet in this particular area that Mike lives in.

Slim Odds

On top of this, there is a very slim chance of finding anything noteworthy in the area. Old pennies are not worth much, after all. However, he turned out to have a lot of luck on that particular day.

Turn Of Events

Very much to his dismay, he discovered that the field he liked to take his metal detector out to best was waterlogged from the steady downpour that happened in the past week. Despite this letdown, he felt determined to continue.

Hint Of Luck

He had the oddest feeling that it was going to be his lucky day. As he went to a different field, he did not have a single clue that something valuable was just lying in wait.

Not Giving Up

As he went to a different field, he did not have a single clue that something valuable was just lying in wait. He would soon feel grateful and excited that he decided not to give up hope today.

Something There

Mike had been sweeping his metal detector over the wide arc of the field when he heard its telltale beep. He started to walk around, but it continued to beep. This was unusual, so he was starting to get confused.

Not Giving Up Hope

He was initially puzzled, although he thought that this did not mean anything more than a faulty detector. He started to give up hope of finding anything, but his instincts told him not to quit just yet.

What Could It Be?

This was the only possibility aside from the thought that there was something huge underneath. There was only one thing to do to find out. Mike was not about to give up now, as his curiosity was only increasing by the minute. Could this be the biggest day of his life?

Imagination Gone Wild

Mike had no choice but to start digging; after all, he couldn’t ignore that there was a chance that something incredible beneath the ground. Ideas started running through his mind and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen to him.

Digging Through The Dirt

He had to abandon the piece of equipment, pull out a trowel, and then start to dig. The wet dirt did not stand a chance, and he soon found a round chunk of metal in the soil.

Digging Deep

He used his hands to dig through it until he got a solid grip on it. He then tried to pull it out with all the might he could muster. What could possibly be buried here?

More And More

This rusty piece of metal just would not move no matter how much he tried to pull it out. Mike decided he would have better luck if he dug around this mystery object.

Can’t Give Up Now

As he started to clear the soil around the metal thing, he learned that it was actually connected to something else. What could it be? What was so heavy underneath this soil that he couldn’t move it even one inch, no matter how much he tried to? He couldn’t stop now!

Uncovering The Mystery

He kept digging and then uncovered another link, and then a third one. When the realization dawned upon him, he felt a chill run through his body. He couldn’t believe what he was looking at.

A Chain Link

He had stumbled into a strange object, that much was clear. It came with iron links that did not seem to end. He unraveled more things as he went deeper into the soil. What was it attached to?

Left In The Dark

As he went on, he eventually realized that it was turning into night. He could not help but curse when he found out that he did not have a flashlight on him. He couldn’t solve the mystery within the day.

The Stuff Of Nightmares

He hardly got some shut-eye that same night, and he told only his closest friends about what he saw. Mike came up with several theories about what he might find connected to that rusty old chain.

It Could Be Dangerous

Could there be something terrible down there? Mike was starting to get worried that he was not uncovering something unique and awesome, but rather something that someone did not want to be discovered, let alone uncovered and dug up…

Thinking Positive Thoughts

He previously read about old burial sites that were lying underneath Pembrokeshire, although this was not a comforting thought whatsoever. Could this be one of those sites? He was hoping it wasn’t, but he had no idea what he was about to uncover. He was getting nervous.

Scared And Nervous

This uncertainty only filled him with a sense of horror! He knew he needed to think more positively in such an uncertain situation. He wasn’t going to walk away from this scene, but he was anxious to see what would happen next.

Mysteries All-Around

It was not lost on him that Pembrokeshire has been described to be a land of enchantment and mystery by the unknown author of the 11-century folktale collection known as The Mabinogion. Anything could be possible.

Surrounded By The Sea

The last rocky Welsh outpost is surrounded by the Celtic Sea and continues to be steeped in myth and legend. There was so much mystery and there were so many questions about what Mike was about to find.

What Was In Store For Him

It is no wonder it has since become known as one of the world’s most haunted places. However, Mike did not know that he was about to go face-to-face with the eerie past of the country.

By Daybreak

As soon as the day broke out, he already found himself outside. He headed for the site right away. He needed to find out what was lying at the other end of that mysterious chain.

Getting The Authorities Involved

What secrets could be lying there for such a long time? He did not think that it would lead to authorities on the field later that day. What was about to happen would surprise everyone who was helping out at the scene.

Something Chilling

Mike found the site the same way he left it. He was ready to get back to digging, although he was feeling some trepidation this time around. As he uncovered more of this strange object, he noticed something.

Close To Solving The Mystery

The trowel then hit a smooth surface. He could not stop his eyes from going wide when he wiped off the dirt and found something brown and hard. He couldn’t believe what he was looking at.

A Sinister Find

He was a metal detecting hobbyist, so he knew the laws that came with his findings. However, not once did he expect he would have to call the authorities. He had never been in this situation before!