‘I was shocked’: Woman gets lost bridal photos returned to her 65 years later

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ/Gray News) - An unexpected discovery was made in Virginia this week when a woman found lost bridal photos that were taken decades ago.

Sandra Poindexter said she is now doing her part to make sure those treasured memories are returned to their rightful owner.

“I thought maybe I would find a daughter, a son, a relative, but we found the bride,” Poindexter said.

As she was sifting through picture frames at an auction, Poindexter said the woman in the picture captured her eye.

“There was just something about the photos and I thought somebody might want those in the family,” Poindexter said.

And she immediately searched to find the bride.

“I had no idea that Harriet [the woman in the photo] would even come into the picture in real life,” Poindexter said.

She posted a picture of the frames online, asking if anyone had information.

After days of searching, a group member, Donna Reichert, found the bride.

“I said, you have to be kidding. And she said, ‘No, she’s 85 years old now. And she lives in San Antonio, Texas,’” Poindexter said.

Harriet Galbraith ended up being the woman in the lost pictures.

“I was shocked. And I was so happy because I had looked for those photos,” Galbraith said.

For nearly 30 years, Galbraith said she has been searching for them.

“I had gone to my sister after my mother died and said, ‘I would like to have those pictures.’ And she said, ‘Well, I don’t know where they are,’” Galbraith said. “I figured who knows what happened. I was disappointed.”

According to Galbraith, the photos were taken in 1959 when she was 20 by a well-known photographer in Washington, D.C.

Galbraith said the memories of the pictures are priceless and she can’t wait to show her grandchildren.

“I think they will be happy and proud to see them,” Galbraith said.

The portraits have been shipped and are currently on the way to Galbraith. She’s expected to receive them early next week.

“I was going to take the pictures out of the frames, thinking that would be much easier to mail, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t take them apart. I wanted her to get them just like they were,” Poindexter said.

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