Family Finds Old Letters

This family finds old letters in their home after a fire, and feels like their loved ones are all still there. It was a way that their past loved ones showed love and comfort to those still alive.

There are great stories all over the world going on. Sometimes we just have to seek them out or find them online, because the news usually will only show us the negative stories.

This story is one I had to share with you. I cannot imagine what I would do if I found these letters. There are many different ways to remember you loved one at a funeral or at home, but this one sure moved my heart.

A home in New York is boarded up after a bad fire. A fire is a devastating thing to hear about, but this family had an unexpected surprise of home after walking back into the home to look at the damage.

Michael Rentzel’s sister, Connie, and her husband Anthony passed away in this fire unfortunately. Michael and his wife are thankful though, because of the letters they found that survived the fire.

Message to the Future

“For my uncle to find the letters untouched is almost like their spirit was sending him to these letters,” said Jimmy Zorbaugh (son). These letters read on the outside of the envelope, “Open only if I die.” These letters are from 10 years ago. It is like they were a “Message to the Future.”

“They gave them to us, and it was like she was speaking from the grave. Everything that she said was pertinent to today,” Tony Zorbaugh, Jr. said (another son of Connie, the loved one who died in the fire).

This is an incredible story of life and hope as the whole family reunited together even closer, as these letters were found.

Connie’s words in one letter read, “I’ll always be watching over you dear. Love Connie.” I am crying just typing this story up for you to read. Can you imagine finding letters like these in your home after a fire?

Leave your Mark in this World

Connie was very family oriented and she proved it by creating these letters March of 2004 (back when she was diagnosed with colon cancer and was afraid she would die soon).

Connie wanted to make sure she left her mark in this world through these four letters left to her husband, two sons, and one to her four siblings.

Live with No Regrets

You know, people always say, try to live a life with no regrets. Sometimes that is hard. This story sure has me thinking about some people in my life I need to forgive though. It is just not worth it in the end. As a counselor working with young kids and adults I would always teach them how to write out their feelings to help let things go. It really does help some people.

Priceless Moments

Connie’s son (Jimmy) was never close with his mother growing up, but had worked on his relationship with her over the past years. Since reading these letters from his mom, it helped give him the closure he needed. He said, “This letter, it’s a gift. Someone could give me $1 million and I wouldn’t give this letter up.”

Due to a suspected electrical circuit problem in their living room, a fire started in the Zorbaugh’s home. Connie did not make it out as she tried to rescue Tony (or Anthony, her husband who also died in the fire due to smoke inhalation).

Memorial Time Capsule

This story is why we encourage others to get one of our “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsules for a family member or friend, whose love one is about to pass away. Please remember to take into consideration the personality and emotions of the person passing away. Have the loved one who is about to pass or other friends of the loved one who is about to pass, leave “Message to the Future” letters for the family still remaining. Give them similar messages of hope and remembrance of this loved one years in the future.

The family can open the time capsule remembering this loved one right after their death, or wait 10, 20, or 30 years and open the time capsule to share stories, pictures, shed some tears and laughs again in the future when they share with their grandchildren and great grandchildren about their legacy left in this world.

You can put any photos you want on the outside of this decorative DIY Time Capsule. You can even have family members sign the outside of it with markers, paint or draw on it. The ideas are limitless of how you want to remember your loved one. Get your “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsule and included “Message to the Future” stationary here and get started today.

How do you remember your loved ones? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie