DETROIT – A Detroit homeowner was surprised when he found lost love letters and pictures from World War II tucked above a heating duct in his basement.
"When we saw this we were hoping it would be a bag of bonds or bag of money, honestly. It was just really cool," said Hubert Sawyers, the homeowner.
The letters and pictures all belong to a late World War II veteran named Sam Gargas.
"There are a few love letters from a lady named Violet," said Sawyers.
Stan Gargas had lived in Sawyers' home decades ago, but the letters weren't found until Sawyers and his wife began remodeling last year.
One letter reads in part:
"Sweetheart, it was hard to see you go this morning knowing that it may be the last time that I shall see you for a time, which we don't know how long it is going to be before we see each other again."
Sawyers was able to confirm the letters and pictures belonged to Gargas by contacting Gargas' nephew online.
"He's taken a lot of the family photos and he's been scanning them and archiving them," said Sawyers
He and his wife learned that Gargas is survived by his wife who is in a nursing home and has Alzheimer's.
Sawyers said he has received messages from a museum in Eastpointe asking if some of the pictures could be donated to their archive.
"I would put it to the family that if you want to donate some of the materials, this is your call," said Sawyers.
Sawyers says he still hopes someone in Gargas family will come forward and claim the letters and pictures.
Stan Gargas