Nick Chowdhury was in his early 20s when he lost his wallet at the Comox Marina while fishing in 1991.

Unbeknownst to him, a young man would return his wallet, more than 30 years later, after finding it at roughly the same location where it was last seen.

Born and raised in the Comox Valley, Chowdhury recalled how everything unfolded on that fateful day.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty unbelievable,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淥ne summer day, I grabbed my fishing rod and went out to the Comox Marina when the tide was low. I hopped over the edge of the dock onto the breakwater rocks. As I started walking my wallet, which was in my front pocket, was sticking out of my shorts. So I looked at a spot and I remember holding my wallet and gently putting it down thinking 害羞草研究所楾his is the spot, I gotta remember this.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所�

Yet, hours later, following a long fishing session, Chowdhury realized his wallet was nowhere to be found.

害羞草研究所�(When I came) back, of course, no rock looked familiar,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 probably walked around for an hour trying to retrace my wallet. I knew that if I didn害羞草研究所檛 get it, the tide would come up害羞草研究所� and I害羞草研究所檇 probably never see it again. After a while, I gave up.害羞草研究所�

As a young man, Chowdhury explained that this incident ended up being a major headache.

害羞草研究所淓verything I had was in there: my birth certificate, my status card, my SIN (social insurance) card, my care cards害羞草研究所� everything,害羞草研究所� said Chowdhury. 害羞草研究所淚t was (such a) hassle to replace all of (my) IDs because you need some IDs to be able to prove who you are and get new ones.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 have a lot back then and that was the last thing I needed.害羞草研究所�

Frustrated and feeling defeated, the fisherman hopped on his bicycle and rode home empty-handed. A few weeks later, Chowdhury bought an identical wallet, stating that it was his favourite model.

Fast forward 33 years - cue Comox teen Jamie Lee, 14.

害羞草研究所淚 was fishing on the rocks with a bunch of my friends by the marina and one of my friends was going to go up to the dollar store to get us some snacks,害羞草研究所� Lee said. 害羞草研究所淗e took my other friend害羞草研究所檚 electric skateboard and started running over but he dropped the (board) controller (among the rocks) and lost it.害羞草研究所�

As the teenager and his friends began combing through the boulders, on May 10, Lee stumbled upon a peculiar sight.

害羞草研究所淚 just started digging and digging and害羞草研究所� I removed a rock and saw this super old wallet,害羞草研究所� Lee said. 害羞草研究所淚 told my friends 害羞草研究所楪uys, I just found someone害羞草研究所檚 wallet.害羞草研究所� I picked it up, opened it and it was super crusty. There were holes in it and it was hard to open.害羞草研究所�

Trying to make sense of what he just found, Lee brought the wallet to a safer place and started looking at its contents.

害羞草研究所淚 slowly started pulling out all the cards I saw (Chowdhury害羞草研究所檚) IDs,害羞草研究所� Lee recalled. 害羞草研究所淚 was shocked (so) I called my dad because this guy must have lost his wallet forever ago and I just wanted to get it back to him.害羞草研究所�

Shortly after, Jamie害羞草研究所檚 dad, Bill Lee, slid into Chowdhury害羞草研究所檚 Facebook direct messages, informing him that his son had found his wallet.

Astounded, Chowdhury didn害羞草研究所檛 know how to react at first.

害羞草研究所淚 almost didn害羞草研究所檛 even reply to him,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t felt like somebody was trying to scam me because we didn害羞草研究所檛 know each other. (But then they) started sending me pictures (of my old IDs.)害羞草研究所�

After noticing both he and Lee had a few friends in common, Chowdhury eventually replied.

害羞草研究所�(Lee) happened to be coming into town. I gave him my address and 15 minutes later, there was a knock on the door and he said 害羞草研究所楾his is yours,害羞草研究所� and he held out my old wallet.害羞草研究所�

Despite sustaining some damage, Chowdhury noted that everything in his wallet was still in its rightful place and in relatively good condition, more than three decades later.

Reflecting on this event, what was once an unfortunate incident has transformed into a unique story to share with friends and family around a fire pit.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like a blast from the past,害羞草研究所� said Chowdhury. 害羞草研究所淚n fact, I was recently thinking of going (fishing) again and bringing my kids. Back then I wasn害羞草研究所檛 driving, so I rode my bike and everything was in my pockets. But now I害羞草研究所檓 going to drive out and leave anything that害羞草研究所檚 valuable, like wallets, in the car.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所�

In the end, Jamie and his friends successfully found the electric skateboard害羞草研究所檚 controller.

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