A box that was supposed to contain the gown a bride’s mother wore on her wedding day contained nothing but a stranger’s dress.
The dress that Ame Bartlebaugh wanted to wear at her upcoming wedding was missing, The Miami Herald reported.
She had an unwanted gown and needed to track down the one that was rightfully hers.
"I really had my heart set on using my mother's veil, but I immediately knew this wasn't the dress," Bartlebaugh told The Miami Herald.
And while she didn’t have her gown, she wanted to get the dress to its rightful owner.
But where could Bartlebaugh turn to find her?
The dry cleaners that were tasked with preserving the heirloom went out of business years ago, The Miami Herald reported.
So with that dead end, she did what anyone in this day and age would: She turned to social media for help.
A bride’s plea for help was answered the same day, and in less than 24 hours, the dress, with long sleeves and tiered ruffles that Bartlebaugh found in her grandmother’s attic, was on the way to its owner.
>> Need something to lift your spirits? Read more uplifting news
Michelle Havrilla found out her gown was missing in 2013, when her basement flooded. She opened the preservation box after and discovered a gown that wasn’t hers. But now, thanks to social media and Bartlebaugh’s efforts, Havrilla has her gown more than 30 years after she walked down the aisle.
The story, however, is yet to have a happy ending for Bartlebaugh. Her mother's dress is still nowhere to be found. So she has reached out on social media, hoping to have the same resolution as Havrilla, The Miami Herald reported.
About the Author
