CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - A Cleveland-area woman thought she had bought a box of Christmas lights, but inside were photographs and other personal items belonging to a complete stranger.
Jean Hanchak said, "I do thrift shops. I go twice a week cause that's my thing and I do go to garage sales."
She got a great deal on a box of Christmas lights at a Cuyahoga Falls thrift store.
She just wanted to dress up her wreathes for the holidays. But the box, held a surprise.
"And then as I got into it, the bag of jewelry came out and her pictures and all this was in the next day box," Hanchak said.
That's right; she went back to the store. Bought another box of lights and found even more of the same woman's life inside.
"She got married February 20 1999. It says wedding day, 2 pm… honeymoon, six pm."
The woman was from Georgia but traveled here, to the Akron area. Her name is Jean.
Maybe there's a certain destiny here, because the person who found all those belongings is also named Jean.
There's a wedding set which may not be all that valuable, but...
"But to somebody it might be worth something," Hanchak said.
So much of this woman's life came pouring out... even credit cards. Important, but one find touched Jean the most.
"It's the wedding rings. There was a set of rings, otherwise I would not have thought of it as not important. There's a wedding band and an engagement ring."
Jean is hoping the woman is still alive and might somehow see this--
But she has no way of knowing. But she feels compelled to find answers.
"This is more personal than anything I've ever bought."