Couple Finds Purple Heart at a Garage Sale..and You’ll Never Believe How They Tracked Down The Family

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Ames, IA couple Joel Brown and Kayla Roberts were spending their weekend searching for a few new treasures when they stopped at a neighbor’s yard sale. Among some of the knick-knacks, Kayla spotted something that would connect the couple with an entire family from across the country.

A Purple Heart, one of the highest honors awarded to members of the US Military, was in a box with errant earrings and necklaces. Kayla bought the box for $.50.

“I could not believe the luck when I got home and found a note in the box that said “Purple Heart Awarded to Jack Jenkins, US Army for injuries endured in Vietnam”, and I knew I had to find this hero’s family.”

The Purple Heart, which was awarded to JFK, Colin Powell, and John McCain, is the oldest and best-known award given by the US Military. Kayla, coming from a Navy family, knew what that award meant.

After finding very little on a search engine other than when and where Jack was stationed, she turned to background check website Persopo.com. Persopo.com gave Kayla invaluable information on Jack’s family–which lived in a nearby state.

“We never imagined we’d not only find the family of this American hero–but find that he’s still alive!” said Joel. The couple drove four-hours to a small town in Il and reunited the 78-year old with what he thought was lost.

After spending time with the hero’s family, the couple returned back to Iowa in tears. “I’m so thankful that a secure service was able to find the information on this man I would not have been able to find on my own,” said Kayla.

While the background check site is typically used for digging up dirt on others–  such as cheating partners, checking in on new neighbors, protecting their family– the company said there are a number of reasons that people use their site…but this is the first case of it being used to make such a heartwarming reunion. How could you see using Persopo?

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7 thoughts on “Couple Finds Purple Heart at a Garage Sale..and You’ll Never Believe How They Tracked Down The Family

  • August 17, 2021 at 2:41 am
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    I agree. How did it get lost to begin with? Especially with the recipient still alive. they should have given us the whole story.

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  • August 13, 2018 at 2:09 pm
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    What a search and what a finding. Is the kind of adventure one wants to live.

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  • July 27, 2018 at 1:39 pm
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    This is the kind of thing I want to happen in my life. I should buy something from the next yard sale I see.

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  • July 14, 2018 at 1:56 pm
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    My question is, how did that even wind up there? My grandfather keeps his purple heart sacred in a plaque in the living room and wouldn’t let it anywhere.

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  • June 24, 2018 at 12:38 pm
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    This made me want to check my own junk too. Maybe I can find something this cool.

    Reply
  • May 15, 2018 at 7:15 pm
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    This is an incredible story that just deserves to be on the big screen!

    Reply
  • May 2, 2018 at 3:22 pm
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    Shows that most of us don’t understand what we have even under our own roof.

    Reply

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