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‘It’s priceless’ | A missing bracelet connects 2 strangers decades later in Indianapolis

In 2016, Bob Barthel found an old metal bracelet while digging in his garden in Indiana. Its significance dates back 70 years.

INDIANAPOLIS — Until last week, Suzy Elliot and Bob Barthel were complete strangers. They didn’t know they had something very special in common.

“This is the front of the house when we moved in. My parents moved there in 55, the year I was born, and then the front of your house looked like this,” Elliot said holding up two photos.

The photos showed a home in the Eagledale neighborhood where Elliot grew up from 1955 to 1968.

About 20 years later, Barthel moved into the same home and raised his family there until 2017.

“When you meet people, and you have shared memories, it’s just fun,” Elliot said.

Credit: WTHR

Now, those memories aren’t the only thing they share.

In 2016, Barthel found an old metal bracelet while digging in his garden on Eagledale Drive.

“I realized it was a trinket, but I couldn’t bring it to myself to throw it away,” Barthel said. “I thought maybe someday I can find out who it belonged to.”

Two years later, he made a post in an Eagledale Facebook group and included a name faintly etched on the front of the bracelet. It said, “Helen Ward.”

“Helen Ward? I was like, 'that is my mom.' Then when I talked to my aunt, she told me probably my dad had given it to my mom for her 16th birthday,” Elliot said.

Credit: WTHR

That would make the bracelet 77 years old.

“It’s incredible,” Elliot said.

To make it even more incredible, the Facebook post was made five years ago, but Suzy didn’t see it until last Tuesday – about a week before what would’ve been her parent’s wedding anniversary.

“To see her name on something, her maiden name, was really significant for me,” Elliot said.

Credit: WTHR
Suzy, her sisters and her mother, Helen Ward.

As for who lost the bracelet, Elliot and her sisters are all taking the blame.

“I won’t say who because I don’t know, but we were probably playing with mom’s jewelry and lost it,” she said.

Even though the bracelet is not worth very much, Barthel said he knew it was valuable to someone.

“It’s priceless,” Elliot said.

Credit: WTHR

A priceless surprise, that’s also created a new friendship.

“I don’t think the bracelet has any value as far as monetary but it sure is a fun story,” Elliot said.

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