Lost Camera Captures the Good in Social Media
Some of our most precious vacation memories are captured thanks to our cameras. From timeless selfies to spectacular sunsets, our photos keep those priceless memories alive. For two Holiday Vacations guests, a thoughtful and compassionate airline traveler, using the power of the internet, helped bring those memories home.
In January of 2020, Richard and Karen Weatherall took a break from the long Iowa winter to join their local radio station on a Holiday Vacations agricultural tour to Hawaii. During the trip, Richard and Karen travelled across Oahu, Kauai, and Maui making countless memories. After 10 days, they returned home, excited to share their memories with family. It was then that they realized their camera did not make it home with them.
Months went by and the Weatheralls sadly came to terms with the fact that their camera that held photographs of their trip to Hawaii as well as beloved family memories was gone forever.
Unknown to them, over 10 months later in Hawaii an incredible story unfolded. Someone at the Honolulu International Airport had found a camera tucked between two seats in the terminal. This kind Facebook user posted photos from the discovered camera onto their page, asking everyone if they could share the post in hopes of finding the owner. The post quickly took on a life of its own as it was shared by over 850 Facebook users. A short-time later, impressive sleuthing by one viewer revealed that the couple in the photos were wearing Holiday Vacations nametags. The individual reached out to Holiday Vacations and explained that someone found a camera that might belong to some of our guests and shared the Facebook link. After a little visual investigation by our staff, Richard and Karen were identified by their nametags in the photo.
That evening, a phone call and voicemail were left for Richard Weatherall in hopes that the rightful owners had been found. Within 15 minutes, Richard called back with the good news: it was their camera!
Richard described his reaction to the call, “It was the most incredible voicemail. Karen and I had given up all hope of ever getting those photos back again. We just couldn’t believe it!” The camera was shipped across the ocean to rejoin Richard and Karen in Iowa. Renee Bonjour of Holiday Vacations identified the Weatheralls and facilitated the return of their camera.
“It absolutely made my year to be able to help bring this camera and its photos back home. Vacation photos are so special. It is wonderful to realize how many complete strangers just wanted this camera to make it back to Richard and Karen.”