They’ve already been called “superheroes” for cleaning garbage out of the province’s ponds, but on Monday they took that status to another level.
Eugene Hynes and Jason Brushett are millwrights who spend their evenings and weekends using snorkeling gear and kayaks to pluck trash from ponds.
Last Friday, they found a woman’s purse at the bottom of Mitchell’s Pond North in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s.
The purse contained IDs with the woman’s address in Paradise.
“All someone’s personal information,” said Brushett, as he looked through one of the wet gravel-filled pockets of the purse.
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The IDs belonged to a woman named Colleen Meade.
When Hynes and Brushett left the pond on Friday, they drove to the Paradise address.
“The two of us showed up at the doorstep and knocked on the door in our wetsuits,” said Hynes.
“We looked silly, and there was a dog inside barking and no one came out, and we kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Would you open the door to someone standing like this on your front step?’” Hynes laughed.
After chatting with a neighbour, they learned Meade had moved about 10 years ago, but was still living somewhere in Paradise.
They couldn’t track her down using social media or the phone book, but there was an employee ID in the purse, so on Monday Hynes called her workplace.
They took down Hynes’ information and said they’d send an email to see if Meade still worked there.
Within an hour, Hynes’ phone rang.
Purse stolen 15 years ago
Just before Christmas about 15 years ago, Meade’s purse was stolen.
She said she turned her back for a second and it was gone.
Luckily, she had removed the thousands of dollars in cash for her mortgage payment the night before, so the thief made off with a purse containing $17, credit cards, various pieces of identification, points cards such as a Zellers Club Z card, and photos of Meade’s family and friends.
“I had to replace everything, and cancel everything in a matter of seconds because it was credit cards and debit cards,” recalled Meade.
“Everything was a panic.”
Meade was at work on Monday when she got the email with Hynes’ contact information and his story about finding her purse at the bottom of a pond.
“I thought it was just a joke, someone playing a prank on me or something,” she said.
“I was like, ‘IDs? It can’t be, I’ve got my IDs here with me.’ So, it never clicked at first. Then, I called them and he told me the story about cleaning the ponds and all that, and I’m like, ‘Really?’ I still didn’t believe it,” Meade laughed.
Hynes referred her to The Telegram article explaining their pond cleanup efforts in Monday’s newspaper, and their Avalon Pond Cleanups Facebook page.
He said to her, “We’re honest, we’re sincere.”
Meade read the story and checked out their Facebook page. When she realized they were telling the truth, Hynes offered to drop the purse off at her workplace, but Meade said she had to meet them in person.
“I was flabbergasted,” she said about when she saw the purse.
“I was taken aback. I said, ‘Wow. All my IDs.’ I still can’t believe it.”
Meade spent an hour looking through the purse when she brought it home Monday night.
“I just stared at it,” she said. “It’s amazing.”
“The writing is still on the back of some of the pictures. It’s amazing. Pictures of friends, their kids, some pictures my mom gave me — holy pictures, and I think that’s why they found it.”
Everything was still in the purse — all but a ten- and five-dollar bill.
She figures the thief took the bills and threw the purse in the pond — with everything else, including $2 in change, left inside.
Meade said she was most relieved to get her social insurance card back.
“That was my biggest fear. I always thought about that, if anyone had my social insurance. All through the years, that was always in the back of my mind.”
Superhero status
Meade said she understands why some people have called Hynes and Brushett superheroes.
“It’s great what they’re doing. Actually, a lot more people should be doing something like that, especially those little ponds where kids and everybody swim.”
Meade said she’s “still amazed” that they not only found her purse, but tracked her down and returned it after it’s been gone for “at least” 15 years — she can’t recall the exact date it was stolen.
As for Hynes and Brushett, they said they’re only doing what they hope someone would do for them.
“If you lose something yourself, you hope you get it back. It’s of no value to us, but to the person who owns it, I’m sure it’s everything. I mean, it costs money and a lot of time to replace all that stuff, all those cards,” said Hynes.
“I hope it’s some closure for her,” added Brushett.
The men said they’re always willing to return items they find during their pond cleanups.
They said it’s a “win-win situation” if they can help others while also cleaning up the environment.
Twitter: @juanitamercer_
