CLAIRTON, Pa., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- A Clairton, Pa., man recovered his dead father's ashes, stolen from a truck, and says he is eager to thank the child who found them in a bag at a playground.
The ashes of Richard Smith, a decorated Korean war veteran, were stolen from a van owned by his son, Bob, who told KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh, his father died in June and the ashes, in a bag, are kept in a memorial box provided by the memorial chapel.
"He was my best friend that I lost, and I just felt like keeping [his ashes] in the vehicle whenever I'm driving around," Smith said of his father.
Smith said the suspected the thief may have mistaken the bag for illegal drugs.
The bag was found Monday evening by a girl at a local playground, and Smith said he would like to thank her personally.
