Bottled message found after 35 years

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BELLOWS FALLS, Vt., July 19 (UPI) -- A Vermont man who threw a message in a bottle into the water 35 years ago said he was delighted when the bottle surfaced more than 75 miles downriver.

Sean Keown of Rochester said he and a friend each stuffed handwritten notes into the bottle in 1977 before sending it into the White River, and he recently received a letter from Justin Shepard, 14, who found the bottle more than 75 miles downriver in Bellows Falls, WCAX-TV, Burlington, reported Thursday.

"Before I received this letter, I hadn't thought about it in years I had no idea that I would get it back," Keown said.

Shepard said the letter had Keown's name and phone number, but the number was out of service. He said he was able to track Keown down using Google and sent him a copy of his note from the bottle.

Keown said he plans to make good on his message's promise of a reward for the finder.

"I was thinking maybe a candy bar or a soda, at the time I was in elementary school. Yeah, it's going to be a cash reward now," he said.