Phone with last family photos of loved one recovered after year in northern Ontario river, still works
An act of kindness by one Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.-area man is helping a grieving family that suffered a tragic loss last summer.
Jordan Miezlaiskis and her husband were visiting her brother, Jesse, and family in Goulais River from their North Carolina home last July.
The family wascelebrating Jesse's birthday and planned to stay over the next month.
On a day trip to Chippewa Falls, the family decided they'd take some photos together.
"At some point, I left my phone on a rock and we all watched it fall in the water," Jordan Miezlaiskis said. "We all tried to get it, it was like watching it fall in slow motion."
Miezlaiskis said her brother tried to fish out the phone with a magnet, but eventually they gave up due to the depth of the water.
"We cut our losses, laughed about it a bit," she said. "I kind of put it off after a bit and didn't think much about it."
That phone, however,would come to bear special meaning for them two months later.
"My brother passed away in an ATV collision about two months after we returned home," Miezlaiskis said. "It didn't totally hit me at first, but I realized pretty soon after that the phone I lost had the last photos of him and our family together."
One year later, Miezlaiskis and her husband revisited Goulais River, for Jesse's birthday again.
"It was to honour him, just like we did last year," she said. "But when we were there, I got a Facebook message from a complete stranger that was just unbelievable."
Miezlaiskis said a man had reached out to her after finding her phone in the water, while diving with his brother.
The phone had her driver's licence attached, which is how he was able to locate her.
"He thought we just lost it, maybe three or four days ago," Miezlaiskis said. "It had no visible damage to it whatsoever, you'd really never know it was under water for an entire year."
Miezlaiskis said the man offered to drive out and give the phone back to her the same day he reached out.
"I was extremely emotional," she said. "I hadn't seen it in a year and I knew what was on that phone."
As soon as it was returned, Miezlaiskis said she grabbed a phone charger to see if it would work.
"I started crying, we couldn't believe it turned on, it was as if nothing ever happened," she said.
"Just when you think you're never going to get something back or you kind of just accepted whatever has happened for what it is, good things can happen and there's truly good people out there."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.