Happy News

The Mystery That Traveled Decades to Find Its Way Home

When Alison Anne stumbled across a vintage locket at a thrift store in Barrie, Ontario, she had no idea it would spark a heartfelt reunion nearly 80 years in the making. Inside the gold pendant were faded photographs of a young couple and subtle clues pointing to a life shaped by wartime service.

Curious, Anne shared the locket online—and within days, a member of the Aurora Legion recognized the couple: Royal Canadian Air Force veteran Bill Mitchell and his wife, Glenice. Bill served from 1942 to 1946 and earned the Burma Star before returning to Canada to become a Toronto police detective and roller rink co-founder. His granddaughter, Kelly Brown, called the rediscovery “surreal.” She’s unsure how the keepsake vanished but believes it was lost years ago during a move or celebration. Thanks to the thrift store’s inventory system and the reach of social media, the locket is now back in the family’s hands.

What started as a forgotten trinket on a dusty shelf turned into a powerful reminder of love, legacy, and the quiet ways history finds its way home.