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Boy Fishes Out Purse, Uncle Jumps Back When He Sees The Photos Inside

Boy Fishes Out Purse, Uncle Jumps Back When He Sees The Photos Inside December 12, 2022Leave a comment

Unexpected Catch

His uncle eagerly watched over his shoulder and watched him open the purse to see what was inside. The contents were wet and damaged from being under water for so long. But among them there was an item that his uncle was surprised to see.

His heart was beating in his throat when he reached for the picture. He wiped it clean so that he could take a closer look, and once he did, he asked Brodie if his suspicions were correct. Dropping the picture, he called the police.

Love Of Fishing

ABC News

Brodie Brooks was thrilled when he received a new fishing rod for his 11th birthday. He absolutely adored going fishing with his uncle and the boys. In his eyes, nothing could be more fun than a day out in the sun, waiting for the fish to bite.

But Brodie never thought that one of those amazing trips would lead him to an unexpected catch filled with mystery and treasure.

Waiting For A Bite

ABC News

Brodie and his uncle Ben Myers arrived at Lake Hartwell, Anderson County. They got onto the boat and set off as they usually would. With their rods set up and ready, they spent some time chatting.

They were wasting time as they patiently waited for the first fish to bite, having no idea that their catch of the day would end up in the hands of the local police department.

Not A Fish

ABC News

Brodie's uncle had taught him everything there was to know about fishing. In the beginning, he'd have to help Brodie set up his rod, but in time he just stood by, proudly watching as Brodie started improving. By that time, Brodie hadn't managed to catch a lot of fish, so Ben was rather shocked when Brodie got a bite before he did.

However, his delight quickly turned to concern when he saw what Brodie had dragged out of the water.

What Is That?

Public Domain

“I felt like it was a big fish because it was bobbing my rod up and down,” Brodie said, clearly recalling what had happened. “I’d just gotten an Ugly Stik, so I was scared I was gonna break my rod. I was scared the line was going to snap.”

But with a lot of careful attention Brodie managed to reel it in. It wasn't what he was expecting, though.

It's A Purse

ABC News

To both Brodie and Ben's surprise, Brodie pulled a purse out of the water. Brodie was disappointed by the sight since it wasn't the fish he hoped it would be. But then he picked it up and realized how heavy it was. There had to be something worthwhile inside.

Ben watched on as Brodie lifted the mysterious purse from the water. They rinsed it off and saw that it had a beautiful colorful design. But Brodie's imagination started running wild as the purse became more recognizable.

What's In It?

Public Domain

Like every imaginative 11-year-old would Brodie wondered if there was some kind of treasure hidden within it. He never expected to find that there was more than just treasure awaiting him.

From the look of it, there was no doubt that it was old. But hidden within it, there was an item that would provide concrete evidence of just how old it truly was. Brodie cautiously opened the purse and had a look inside.

A Look At The Contents

Public Domain

Brodie's uncle, Ben, watched over his shoulder as he opened the purse up. All of the contents were damaged by the water, but there was one item that came into view, and it shocked Brodie's uncle.

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

A Few Old Photos

ABC News

There were a lot of womanly things like, lipstick, in the purse but among them there were also a few photographs. Even though the water had taken a toll on the pictures, it was still possible to see what was on them. Shocked with the discovery, Ben and Brodie took a closer look.

Ben jumped back as he recognized one of the faces that hadn't seen the light of day in a very long time.

Getting Suspicions 

ABC News

Ben only had two questions in mind at the time: for how long had that purse been in the lake? And where was its owner? Those questions had his suspicions creeping in and they grew by the minute.

At first, Ben asked Brodie to help him separate the images so they could dry out, but he quickly realized that he might be tampering with evidence. They stopped what they were doing, and Ben called the police.

Proof

ABC News

Ben knew this face. Even Brodie said he recognized it. “She was a friend of the family. I went to school with her nephew, but I haven’t seen her in ten years,” Ben said.

How could this woman he knew have their purse in the lake? How long was it at the bottom of the lake? Worry set in as Ben realized that this might be proof of something and that he was interfering with police business.

The Search

ABC News

After they alerted the police to their mysterious finding, Ben scoured the internet in search of the woman that seemed to have disappeared. 

It wasn’t long until he managed to find her nephew, who was shocked to hear Ben's story about the purse. The nephew wasted no time in calling his Aunt to relay what Ben had told him. What happened? 

April Bolt

ABC News

The purse’s owner was April Bolt, now 49 years old. She couldn’t believe that her purse had finally been found. “I couldn’t believe it. I was lost for words. You never think you’d see it again,” she said in an interview.

She had lost it back in 1992 – an unbelievable 25 years ago! But April believes that her purse disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

Suspicions

ABC News

April had attended a cookout back in 1992 at Lake Hartwell.

“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… There were two guys there fishing and – I hate to accuse anybody – but when we got back, I was like, ‘My pocketbook is gone!’” she explained.

Devastated

ABC News

At the time, April had been devastated. “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 said.

“My favorite lipstick was in there, and the color was discontinued.” But it wasn’t the lipstick or the cash that April was most upset about losing.

Irreplaceable

ABC News

Among the items that Ben had found inside the purse were baby photographs of her son with a big deal of sentimental value.

“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 make him out,” April said tearfully.

Disappointment

ABC News

When asked about their amazing catch that day on Lake Hartwell, Ben and Brodie still can’t quite believe it. “It was pretty wild,” Ben told ABC News. “You fish up a purse – for one – then you actually know whose it was…”

Brodie, on the other hand, hadn’t been as thrilled as his uncle to have caught an old purse instead of a fish.

Trash Or Treasure

ABC News

The boy’s disappointment was all over his face when they reeled in the leathery old purse. But it was Ben who had recognized the catch for what it was. 

“I told him, ‘You ain’t got no fish. You got a treasure!’” Ben recalls, laughing. But what did April think about being reunited with her belongings that had been missing for over two decades?

The Reason

ABC News

She simply said that the purse’s recovery “meant the world to her.” But she still has some unanswered questions. 

Firstly, had her purse really been stolen all those years ago? And by whom? Secondly, she wonders why it has been returned to her now. She believes that the universe must have its reasons.

Precious Memories

ABC News

“Everyone keeps telling me, ‘There’s got to be a meaning to why you’re finding this so many years later,’” she reveals. “I’m sure God will reveal that in time.”

Meanwhile, she is enjoying the memories that the items in her purse have brought back. “It’s just so precious to have it back,” she happily concluded! However, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.

Grim Discovery

Newsweek

It isn't unusual for fishermen to sometimes find forgotten items from the past lying on the bottom of a lake or river. Sometimes, their discoveries lead to happy endings, like the one we have just seen.

However, sometimes you can run across stuff way grimmer and more sinister than a bunch of old photographs. That's what happened to Jean Philippe Robinette in Fort Loudoun Lake, Louisville, Tennessee.

Jean Philippe Robinette

Wallsheaven

Jean Philippe Robinette, aged 22, was out on a fishing trip with his dad Joe, aged 51. Both father and son are Louisville residents; they consider themselves keen fishing hobbyists.

In their lifetimes, they have come across all types of catches; however, this last one has undoubtedly been the most astounding, and even disturbing, of them all.

Keen Fishermen

Adobe Stock

Jean Philippe started fishing with his dad when he was just a kid. Some of his most treasured memories were those evenings in different lakes and rivers in Tennessee, sitting with his dad, having deep conversations, or just staying in silence. 

However, this day would be different. They were about to find something they would never be able to forget.

The Catch Of Their Lives

Pinterest

It happened in Fort Loudoun Lake, Louisville, Tennessee. At the time of the year when they made their discovery, the water level at the lake where they were fishing was extraordinarily low.

The pair was sitting by the shore. They had been staying there for a few hours but hadn't caught any fish yet. In a few minutes, they would come across the catch of their lives.

A Backpack

Youtube/Daniel Bowens

"My dad's line snagged on something in the water, so he stepped out onto a protruding rock, maybe six feet off the shore, to try and free his lure," Jean Philippe recounts.

"While standing on this rock in the water, he noticed a backpack submerged to his left, only about three feet deep or so this time of year."

They Opened It

Newsweek

"We assumed it was a tackle bag someone lost from their boat. It was covered in lures where other fishermen had snagged it," Jean Philippe continues, with a noticeable excitement in his voice as he goes through the scene.

Then, they tried to open the bag. Nothing could have ever prepared Jean Philippe or his dad for what they were about to find inside.

A Weapon

Newsweek

"The zippers were rusted shut, so we cut open the main pocket with a knife. That's when we saw two revolver butts sticking out. I thought we had just found a murder weapon."

"It was very exciting. We figured they were probably involved in some kind of crime, so we called the Blount County Sheriff's Dept. and let them know we found a sunken bag of firearms."

Police Steps In

Outdoors Weekly

Shortly after, an officer arrived at the scene. He looked inside the bag, took out everything inside, and examined it. Then, he listed all the items.

"There ended up being 4-5 antique revolvers and 8-10 knives of differing types," the officer recounts. "There were also several stones in the bag, seemingly to weigh it down. Then, the officer cut open the smaller pocket in the backpack and found a plastic trash bag full of jewelry, watches, collectible spoons, etc."

A Ring

Newsweek

Among the pieces of jewelry, there was a ring that might be the key to solving the mystery. "This ring, which appears to be a man's ring, is from the former Walland Middle School," The Blount Co. Sheriff's Dept. has now shared on their Facebook page.

"Please share this post so we can find the owner of this piece of memorabilia!" 

Discovery Of A Lifetime

11Alive

"I have heard stories here and there of fishermen discovering crime scenes and such in the lake, but I had not until Monday. I'd say it's relatively rare in the fishing community because it becomes a local legend every time something like it happens!" says Jean Philippe.

"My dad likes to "treasure hunt" for lost lures, and I have friends who hunt arrowheads and such on our lake beds, but I'm usually just trying to catch a fish before it's time to leave."

In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.