A $5 bargain bin purchase led to a heartwarming holiday reunion when a 30-year-old film camera unlocked decades-old Christmas memories. Seth Boles bought the camera from the closing Moler’s Camera shop in Wichita, Kansas, and discovered undeveloped film inside. Now, the family featured in the photos has been reunited with their long-forgotten snapshots.
Boles bought the Pentax camera while exploring the bargain bins of Moler’s, a local photography institution for over 80 years. Curiosity struck when he noticed the camera still contained film. “When I was checking it out, I saw that it still had film in it,” Boles told KSN TV. “I was like, ‘Is that going to work,’ and the guy was like, ‘I have no idea.’”
Taking a chance, Boles developed the film and unearthed holiday snapshots from what he estimated to be December 2000. The images depicted a young girl opening presents, capturing a family’s festive joy. “For being at least 20 years old and a camera that’s been sitting in the back of a bargain bin at this store, very much not stored properly, I’m amazed those photos came out like they did,” he marveled.
Boles was determined to find the family in the photos, believing the images held deep sentimental value. His efforts gained media attention, and it wasn’t long before the mystery was solved. But here’s a really great twist: KSN reported the story, and its former director and producer Kevin Crockett saw it. And guess what – it was his family in the photos! He contacted the station, confirming the photos were of his family’s 2001 Christmas celebration. “I remember that day perfectly, so it was really cool to see those pictures again,” he said.
Boles personally delivered the photos to the Crockett family, meeting Kevin’s father, Ken Crockett, who had taken the original photos. Ken was stunned to see the long-lost images, which brought back memories of loved ones no longer with them.
“I had no idea I left those pictures on that camera,” Ken admitted. “My parents passed away probably a couple of years after those pictures were taken. It’s exciting to see them holding my granddaughter.” And the cute little girl in the photos is now in her 20s, studying in college. She says that, seeing the photos transported her back to her childhood. And how can it not?
“What a great time for us to have that family memory back, at Christmas, and they were Christmas pictures,” Kevin said. “It was so nice that that guy took the moment to get them developed and see what would happen.”
I love these discoveries in old cameras, especially when they bring people back together with their precious memories. They don’t always do, since some of the photos are over 100 years old. I fondly remember this kitten from early 1900s whose image was found in a time capsule. Or these portraits discovered inside a 1929 camera. Lost films sometimes unearth real gems and master photographers (just remember the story of Vivian Maier). So, if you ever buy a second hand film camera – I’d carefully check what’s inside. It may contain a piece of history or a simple glimpse into the past. You may bring a family together with its long lost photos, or discover another master photographer. You never know!
This post was originally published on here
