Nov. 13 (UPI) -- A New Mexico woman whose high school yearbook was among the items stolen from her home had the keepsake returned to her when it turned up in a woman's yard nine years later.
Faculty members at Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque said they received a 2006 yearbook in the mail in August with a note from a woman who said the book appeared mysteriously in her front yard.
Leslie Jackson, the activities director of the school, researched possible owners of the book.
"The person who dropped the yearbook off had flagged some names, but they didn't have last names," Jackson told KOAT-TV. "As luck would have it, one of her teachers actually signed it with her full name, so once I saw her last name, I knew I had a match. It was just a matter of finding her."
The yearbook's owner was identified as Analisa Brill, who graduated in 2006. Brill said the yearbook was among many possessions stolen from her home nine years ago.
"I was heartbroken," Brill said. "I was really upset about it."
Brill said she was shocked to receive a Facebook message saying her yearbook had been found. She said it is of particular sentimental value, since it was from her senior year.
"The craziest things can happen. There are good people. There are still really good people out there that think in their minds this could mean something to somebody," Brill said. "Honestly, I'm just happy to at least have this back."
A Florida man was recently reunited with a stolen keepsake from his senior year of high school, a class ring, after a much longer amount of time -- 52 years.
Allan Ackles said his 1968 class ring was stolen from his locker at Manatee High School 52 years ago, during his senior year. The ring was found by Moody Johnson while mowing grass on a property about six years ago.
Johnson said he forgot about the ring for a few years, but came across it again this year and decided to track down its owner. Ackles was reunited with his ring in May.
