Credit: Tom Deals, Rogers Flea Market Vendor and All Around Nice Guy.

Anyone want to hear a story of simple kindness to bring much Christmas cheer?

Have you ever seen disgarded photos And wondered why they were lost?

Last Tuesday I (Tom Deals) attended the monthly auction at the Rogers Auction and flea market
I purchased a small pile of items and loaded them in my van

Later on while unloading I found a box of over 100 photos.. and while I would normally throw them away.. the context of the photos pulled at my heart
It features mainly the same girl.. from her newborn photos.. toddler photos all the way up until graduation.. and her maiden name was written on some of them..
It seemed that she had a great childhood and I hoped that she was healthy and happy still

I couldn’t .. I tried.. but my inner self wouldn’t allow me to just toss them.. I had to try to find this person and return her photos

Well I did a Facebook search of her name and resulted in several people with her name and a profile that had only had 1st name and different last name.. I messaged all of them with a slightly creepy message :
“Hi.. are you from the ____ Ohio area?

I bought items at an auction and contained a box of photos with your name on them… I’d hate to throw them away if they have personal value”

Well I got no replies.. until this morning!

I got a message saying that ____ was her hometown.. and I sent a photo of a child picture asking if it was her.. and asked what get maiden name was as it was the profile with a different name that I decided to messaged..

It was her!

She was very happy.. but I think I was even happier.. I could have just tossed the box full of photos and gone about my life.. but my heart told me to try to find her.. often my heart gets me into trouble.. but not this time. This time I was able to brig Christmas joy to a stranger at no cost but my time

I will be meeting with her brother Friday to pass on the photos

I gave her a challenge.. to pay it forward by doing something special for a stranger.. which she accepted

With her permission in sharing this story.. and photos but blocking out faces other than hers.