One day, a New York man dropped off his wife at the doctor’s clinic for her appointment. Things took a turn for the strange when he returned to fetch her. He ended up staying there and waiting for her for a long time but did not see her anywhere. When he spoke to the receptionists, they told him that she was not there. Where could she have gone?
Nowhere In Sight
As promised, he returned to get her. He waited patiently for her, but his efforts were all in vain. Where could his wife be? Not a single soul thought that her case was going to be solved 42 years later.
Nothing More Than A Cold
She had a medical appointment on that day, so he dropped her off. According to him, there was nothing out of the ordinary. The consultation was for a terrible head cold and nothing else. After bringing her there, he told her that he would come back in an hour. He returned as promised, but she wasn’t there.
Florence Stevens
The lady in our story is called Florence “Flora” Stevens. Her husband said that he last saw her on the 3rd of August 1975. She was a 36-year-old woman full of life and adventure. What on earth happened here?
A Resort In The Catskills
During the summer of 1975, she had been working at a resort found in the Catskill Mountains. Known as the Concord, the complex was a huge 1,200-room resort. Tourists went there often as it was the biggest one you will find in that area.
Educated
The detectives took a look at her job application. They were able to learn that she studied at Lincoln High School in New York. Even though the information was limited, they did know that she was married to a man called Robert Stevens.
Opening The Case
Her disappearance was one huge mystery. No one seemed to know anything about what took place. They started an investigation to look into it, and many people volunteered their time to help out. All of them were confused by her disappearance. What could have befallen a nice woman like Flora?
The End Of The Road
They did not have a lot of clues to lead them in the right direction. Flora did not have any known living relatives either, so it was hard to figure out where she grew up. They were at a dead end, so it seemed.
No One Could Have Known
It was quite to see the case go cold. However, it was bound to happen since they did not have any leads. We are sure that no one ever suspected that they were going to find the answers many decades later.
Senior Investigator Yan Salomon
Senior Investigator Yan Salomon is on the New York State Police payroll. In 2017, he made a very interesting discovery. Could this be the answer to this case, which he had been totally unaware of?
Looming Questions
Yes, it had something to do with the disappearance of Florence “Flora” Stevens. Was he able to figure out what happened to her? What actually happened to this nice woman such a long time ago? Remember, there were so many questions about this case that went unanswered.
Skeletal Remains
Sadly, Yan Salomon of the New York Police did not come bearing good news. While he did find a woman, she was no longer alive. He only saw skeletal remains. He now had to figure out whose body it had been.
Make Some Calls
To solve this mystery, he had to get his phone and make a number of calls. He hit up the sheriff’s office at the Sullivan County and requested to talk to a detective. The female skeletal remains were found near the Catskills. He explained that he required their help to figure out who it could possibly be.
Too Hard
It is quite shocking to hear that 70,000 female adults disappear in the United States every year. Solomon knew that it was going to be impossible to do this on his own, so he needed to come up with a plan.
Information At Their Disposal
The United States had 21,894 active cases of missing women in January 2016. How worrying! At any rate, they do keep records of the cold cases in storage, so they can be accessed if there is any need.
Looking For Her
It was clear that it was not going to be an easy task. Solomon decided to form a team that would look at the open cases and check if they bore any similarities to the body. Did this plan of his work?
Welcome To Sullivan County
Even though it was a rather long shot, he dropped by to Sullivan County to look into the matter himself. Solomon wanted to make it a little simpler by conducting local searches. Hopefully, this was going to be enough to locate the identity of the woman.
An Open Case
Thanks to his skills and experience, he was able to identify which area this person came from. At the moment, he needed to look for answers to the questions that he had. Sullivan County had an open case from a long time ago. It appeared to match the current case!
Looking For Answers
Could this be what he had been waiting for? Salomon talked to the detectives and asked for access to the case file on the woman. He wanted to see if she had living relatives, but it turns out that she did not.
It All Came Together
It was an old file. As a matter of fact, the case was launched in 1975! There was not a lot of information available as well. However, things clicked for Solomon. Could this be the clue that he needed to solve it?
New Information
Solomon decided to defer the case to the competent detectives at Sullivan County. Detective Rich Morgan was assigned to lead it, so it was now up to him to dig up the connection between the women. After reading the case file on Flora Stevens, he was able to find a new piece of information.
Connecting The Dots
It turns out that they were able to find her work ID. This was how they found out that she worked at the resort in Catskills. Interestingly, that was also where they found the remains of the unidentified woman.
Fascinating News
In 1975, a woman by the name of Flora Stevens disappeared into thin air. Get ready because we are about to approach the plot twist of this story. What they found was truly quite shocking.
The Missing Woman
Detective Morgan was able to get to the bottom of things at long last. Was there truly a connection between that cold case and the human remains? He decided to look deeper into the Flora Stevens case.
Looked Far And Wide
When Flora Stevens went missing, her husband Robert looked for her as much as he could. He brought her to her checkup, but she was not there when he finally came back to bring her home.
Another Dead End
When he failed to find her, he got in touch with the authorities. Sadly, they were unable to find her. A decade after her disappearance, Robert passed away. The case did not get solved in his lifetime.
How Would He Do It?
Detective Morgan was aware that this would not be easy. After all, Flora Stevens did not have any living relatives that he could talk to. How was he going to find proof that she was who they thought she was?
Her Social Security Number
As he went through both the local and national databases, he saw something that would turn the whole case around. He was shocked to find out that there was someone using Flora’s social security number!
250 Miles From There
He was able to track down the number and saw that it was in use north of Boston. He ended up with more questions. Why would someone use her social security number at an assisted living facility?
A Different Last Name
Morgan called the place to ask them about it. According to the staff, the number was used by Flora. However, she used the last name Harris, not Stevens. It turns out that she had been there since 2001!
Identity Fraud
Det. Morgan, accompanied by his colleague, went to the assisted living facility. Neither of the detectives could fathom what they just found out. This cold case just got even more intriguing even if it did not pan out the way they thought that it would.
Possible Identity Theft
Det. Morgan got the chance to talk to CBS Boston about it. He said, “Same first name, different last name, but same birth date and social security.” There was nothing to do but to speak to this woman. Was this nothing more than identity theft?
Just Her Photograph
They wanted to clear things up as soon as possible, so they came armed with the single photo of Flora Stevens in the database. That was the photo that came from the work ID she used at the Catskills. They dropped by the facility and introduced themselves to the elderly lady.
Found Her
What went on during this meeting? She held the photo and pointed at the lady on it. Det. Morgan said, “She says that’s me, or me, she responded with one word, me.” They felt even more sure of their theory when they handed her a photo of her husband. She must be Flora Stevens because she said, “Robert.”
She Couldn’t Remember
Despite this, the old lady was unable to give them a lot of answers to the questions that surrounded her disappearance. You see, she was suffering from dementia and unable to talk about the past 42 years.
An Abusive Husband
Det. Morgan shared, “We really don’t know the circumstances of why or how she disappeared. She had psychiatric problems leading up to that point.” Flora had a caregiver called Mbuva, who knew a lot of things about her past. According to him, she said that she had an abusive husband and a bad marriage.
Maybe She Ran
If you ask the detectives, they will tell you that Flora probably got a bus ticket and left her husband. Det. Morgan said, “Most of the secrets are locked inside of Flora, and I don’t think we’ll ever get them.”
She Didn’t Want To Be Found
Fetus Mbuva had been looking after Flora for more than 10 years. He probably knows her better than most! He explained, “To be honest, I don’t think she ever really wanted to be found. You can tell something happened in her past that she didn’t want any part of.”
She’s Safe
Flora was raised in Yonkers and had a habit of saying, ‘none of your business.’ Eric Chaboty, the Sullivan County Undersheriff, said this about the case: “It’s a neat feeling [to find someone]. The main thing is we know that Flora is safe.”
Solved But Unsolved
Sullivan County, at last, was able to close the case after they verified that Flora Harris and Flora Stevens were one and the same. During the press release, Sheriff Mike Schiff reflected, “It is not too often that you get to solve a 42-year-old missing person case.”
A Smile And Wave
It might have taken 42 years, but we are glad that the truth about Flora Stevens has finally come to light. Even though they were able to locate the missing person, it is a little sad that she is unable to explain what truly happened. The detectives left the house, but not before Flora smiled and wave at them.
It was a good thing that the authorities managed to track Flora down. However, were Matt and Laura going to make their way back to each other after spending a long time apart?
From A Young Age
Nearly 25 years ago, little Laura and Matt met at their school in Phoenix, Arizona. They were both 3 years old then! Matt saw her on the playground and talked to her right away. While their parents did not pay much thought to the friendship, the preschoolers soon became inseparable!
The Early Days
When Matt talked to Today, he admitted, “I don’t remember the first time I saw her, but she was always a girl who let me follow her around.” They would soon become the best of friends!
Safety Buddies
Matt and Laura got close when they went on a school trip. The students all had to pair up with one of their classmates, who would then be their “safety buddy.” These two teamed up and stayed with each other the entire time!
Silly Matt
Laura soon got to know Matt as a kind-hearted and warm boy who only wanted to be friends. Soon enough, they became the best of friends! They did everything together, including avoiding nap time and playing hide-and-seek together. How adorable is that?
Not Just At Preschool
It was not enough for these two kids to spend time with each other at school. Their parents eventually found out about their friendship and even arranged playdates for them. Among other things, they liked to go to the movies!
Protecting Laura
Matt also had the opportunity to show Laura just how much he cared about her when they went to the movies. When there were scary scenes, he made sure to hold her hand to make her feel at ease! Aww.
Impressing Laura
The Lion King was one of his favorite Disney animated films. Even though there were kids who like to boast about their parents, he preferred to recite lines from the movie. He knew them all by heart and impressed Laura this way!
The Teacher
We do not doubt that he managed to impress Laura with his recital skills. However, Matt was also blown away by how brilliant his best friend is. Under her guidance, this young boy learned how to draw rolling hills, use the swings, and even eat string cheese properly. It was clear that their tight friendship was beneficial to both of these kids.
Winning Her Over
Matt was also able to impress her when their preschool held a celebration for Cinco De Mayo. The kids had been trying to hit the pinata, but it was him who succeeded! He swung at it so hard that he broke it open. He said, “Fortunately, I was the kid who managed to do it and I assume it got her attention.”
Young Love
They were only four years old back then, but Laura and Matt were already “love birds.” Even though they were both still very young, he was not planning on keeping his feelings for her a secret.
Declaring His Love
As a matter of fact, he told all of his classmates about it. He let them all know that he was going to marry Laura in the future. They thought that it was funny, but he told them, “Just you wait!”
Birthday Parties
Laura and Matt only grew closer as they spent even more time together. They would always be there for each other’s birthday celebration! It was not uncommon for them to embark on new adventures and visit their houses as well. However, their preschool days were about to end. What was kindergarten going to be like for these kids?
Fearing The Future
They had a lot of things to worry about as kindergarten drew closer. There was a chance that they would not be in the same class, which was going to suck for both of them. After all, they had never been apart before! We can see why there were scared that things were going to change a lot.
Different Schools
In the end, it was even worse than what they had in mind. They were not just placed in different classes, but they went to different schools as well. Their parents did not get a say in this since the kids were enrolled depending on their region. However, the adults promised Matt and Laura that they would still arrange playdates for the kids.
Shaky Promises
The parents stayed true to their words! They met up on weekends and allowed the kids to catch up. Matt and Laura now had different friends and experienced new things every single day. It must have been an adjustment to go through this without each other.
Drifting Apart
Soon enough, the visits started to happen less frequently. Things got even worse when they graduated from kindergarten. Here is a photo that shows Matt and Laura spending time with each other on Christmas day. Soon enough, they would only be in touch during the holiday season.
Just Christmas
As time went on, Laura and Matt would only contact each other through the Christmas cards they sent. They used to play every single day together, but they were not drifting apart. The two of them were making a lot of new friends, but we are pretty sure that none of those matched the friendship they had.
Growing Up
As time went on, they were no longer as sentimental. The annual Christmas cards arrived less often as well. It is not right to blame either party for the way their relationship changed. The two of them were just growing up and growing apart. They were close when they were little, but they were older now.
High School
High school is a long time away from preschool and kindergarten. It does not come as a shock to hear that the kids were no longer thinking about their childhood best friend. However, this all changed after one fateful day when they were teenagers.
An Accident
When Laura was a freshman, she was using a friend’s phone and scrolling through it. She was shocked to see a name that she used to know very well. Why would her friend have his number?!
Heartwarming Memories
She could not believe her own eyes when she saw, “Matt Grodsky.” This was the name of her childhood sweetheart! As she stared at those letters on her friend’s phone, she was flooded by memories of their friendship. Laura turned pale, but her friend did not know what was going on.
A Different Plan
After catching her breath, Laura explained that she and Matt used to be the best of friends. She shared their childhood romance and asked how she was acquainted with Matt. According to her friend, they were middle school friends. Laura tried to forget it all, but her friend had a plan in mind.
Setting Them Up
As you can imagine, their mutual friend was blown away by their amazing story. She wanted to set Matt and Laura up once more! However, Laura did not fully agree with this idea. After all, they had not been in contact for many years already. After such a long time away from each other, it was possible that the relationship simply would not be the same.
Going Ahead
They talked some more about her first love, Matt. However, Laura was not sure if it was the right time to have a boyfriend as well. During her interview with People, she explained, “I was a freshman in high school so I was like, ‘I don’t think so!’” Even though she felt nervous about her friend’s plan, she agreed to give Matt her phone number.
Matt’s Move
When he got her number, Matt felt an urge to message her right away. He sent her a text, although he was not sure how she would react. After getting her reply, however, he knew that it will all go well.
Seeing Her
What was the first thing that he noticed when they finally met up again after such a long time? It was her smile! He always did like that smile. He said, “She always had a huge smile.”
The First Date
Not long after they started talking, they agreed to go watch a movie like the good old days. If you ask Matt, it was love at first sight once more! It felt natural between them like it did such a long time ago.
Like Old Times
The first official date had been great for both of them. They eventually started going out as boyfriend and girlfriend. It was a good thing that they both had their license, so they could still visit each other even if they were attending different schools. That was not the end of it either. They would go to their school functions and dances with each other as well!
College Coming Up
Even though they were apart for a while in the past, college was going to bring them a lot of challenges. They hoped to stay together, but it was going to be hard because of their plans for the future. They planned to attend colleges located in different states, which made the situation more difficult. “Right after we graduated from high school, we were pretty hesitant,” she told People. Laura added, “We were like, ‘Do we stay together? Do we try to make it work?’”
Long Distance
Laura and Matt did not want to rob their partner of a real college experience. Matt was set to go to Columbia College in Chicago, whereas she was going to attend Northern Arizona University. The distance between them would be 1,600 miles. However, they were both willing to make things work!
Staying In Touch
Even though it was going to be difficult, they did not want to lose each other once more. Even though they were far apart, they talked through Facetime every day. Aside from communicating online, they also paid each other visits whenever their schedules permitted. As you can see, this was one couple that was hellbent on keeping their relationship alive and well.
6 Months
We are glad that they could turn to social media in order to keep up with their lives. However, it was still different when they got to spend time together. Sadly, there was a point in which they had to be apart for nearly six months. Matt knew that it was time to step up his game after that.
The Perfect Throwback
It did not take long before they were seniors in college. Matt planned a special date for them. He organized a picnic date, but the venue made things even more memorable. He wanted to surprise Laura by bringing her to their preschool! It was clear that he put a lot of thought into it, but that is not all.
A Secret Plan
Matt narrated, “I convinced Laura that we were going to a picnic at the preschool. We had just finished up our junior year of college, so I framed it as a nice relaxing date.” They had already been an item for a couple of years. There was something up his sleeve that Laura did not suspect at all.
Back To Their Roots
When Laura found out that they were going to the preschool, she felt emotional. She thought that it was very thoughtful of him to hold a picnic there! After all, this was where the two of them first met.
Matt’s Strange Behavior
Laura noticed that he was acting a little fidgety as they made their way to the old preschool. She assumed that maybe he was only nervous and excited about the date. However, he was still acting that way even when they got there! This made her start to feel a little nervous as well.
The Big Move
It was starting to dawn on her that this was not a normal picnic. That was the moment he went down on his knee, took her hand, and looked her right in the eye. He brought out a ring and asked, “Will you marry me?” She was shocked but immediately told him, “YES!” I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this happening?’ I saw the ring and was like, ‘This is gorgeous. I’m so happy with it.’ I had no idea!”
Worrying
It was the biggest thing that he ever had to pull off in his life. On top of this, he worried that he might lose the ring: “I kept checking my pocket when she wasn’t looking to make sure the ring was still there.”
Long Planning
The proposal picnic took place on May 23, 2015. The truth was that he had been planning for that very moment a few months before it happened. He also asked her father for his blessing before he did it.
Going All Out
What else did his plan entail? Apart from buying the ring, he also got his brother to hide in the bushes and record it with a video camera. He wanted to capture the special moment on film!
The Picnic Basket
Matt also spoke to his parents and borrowed their picnic basket. What made this one so special was that his dad used the same basket when he proposed to his mom! It sounds like a great tradition to pass on.
A Special Place
Matt and Laura had been in the same spot where he once proclaimed his love for her. His promise made the other kids laugh, but he made good on his promise! How amazing is it that he got to do such a thing? “I proposed to her at the place it all began… our preschool classroom,” Matt explained when he spoke to the Huffington Post. “When you like someone, you just kind of stand up and say it.”
Tying The Knot
Matt and Laura got to tie the know on December 30, 2016. As another throwback to their unique past, their first dance was set to “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” from the Lion King soundtrack!
True Soulmates
Their loved ones swooned as the couple danced at the Arizona Historical Society. His uncle also got to talk about the special love shared by Matt and Laura. He said, “For most kids in preschool, it’s about finding your snacks and your sleeping mats, but for them it was about finding their soulmates.”
For Social Media
We live in the age of social media, so it is not surprising to hear that the couple shared their wedding photos online. They mostly did this through Instagram and Facebook since they wanted their family and friends to see. However, they had no idea that their story was going to get a wider audience.
Laura’s Dad Speaks Out
During the wedding ceremony, her dad got to share with everyone how they ended up adopting Laura. He and his wife had a great story as well. They found little Laura in an Indian orphanage!
Their Own Long Distance Relationship
Her dad had been doing a tour of India and stayed in the country for around a year. At the time, he was already in a relationship with his future wife. Eventually, she also moved to India and landed a job at the American embassy.
Visiting The Orphanage
After some time, they ended up tying the knot. Laura’s mom found out about an orphanage with many kids in need and told her husband about it. The couple decided to pay the place a visit to look at the babies. The wedding guests were completely intrigued by this intimate little story of his.
Adopting Laura
Over there, they found hundreds of kids in the rooms. However, the couple had been focused on the room with the infants. After checking out the babies, they found a little girl with tubes going through her nose and drips going through her arms. According to the nurse, this baby had double pneumonia!
Not Leaving Without Her
Her future parents were already set on adopting Laura there and then. However, there was a policy that the agency followed. It dictated which babies can be adopted by whom. Despite this, the couple was not going to let anything get in their way of bringing Laura home!
A Different Place
Her dad knew that they had to try a different tactic. His plan was a little risky, but it ended up paying off. By then, he was also employed by the U.S. embassy in India. It was a good thing that his plan to ‘bribe’ the adoption agency officials using American products worked.
Back To Now
If that did not happen, Matt and Laura would probably have never met. During the wedding ceremony, Matt’s uncle was able to give some words that made everyone in attendance think: “Love is not one moment, not even this moment – it’s every moment.”
Dancing For Love
Of course, the love story was for Matt and Laura to have. However, they also wanted their loved ones to join in on the fun! Their guests started dancing with them, and this turned out to be one of the best parts of the ceremony. “Our favorite part of the wedding was the dancing and having everyone we love there to celebrate with us,” they shared in reference to the ceremony, “We tore it up on the dance floor and it was great being surrounded by everyone who played a part in bringing us together.”
Honeymoon Time
After the wedding of their dreams, it was time for them to leave for Maui for their honeymoon. We are sure that they loved their stay in the paradise-like island. Mind you, this is still not the end of the story.
The Way We Met
Laura was eager to share their story with other people, so this was what she did. She grabbed an old picture of her and Matt and attached this to a more recent photo. She shared them with “The May We Met,” an Instagram account that shares stories about couples. Their story went on to be a big hit!
A Big Hit
They might have known that it was a unique story, but they were still shocked to see the post go viral. “I was enamored with Laura as a child, and I still am to this day,” Matt said about his feelings for his wife.
Inspiring Others
The story did not only attract the attention of “a few people.” It even made rounds in other parts of the globe as well. It initially garnered 30,000 likes and nearly 1,000 comments. Soon enough, however, the post received 400,000 online engagements. On top of this, various media outlets contacted them to get the scoop on their incredible love story.
Social Media’s Feelings
This is the kind of story that you thought only existed in the movies! However, this actually happens more often than you might think. There are other couples with similar stories out there, you know. However, most people ended up drifting apart from their childhood sweethearts and never reunited.
More Than They Thought
Their influence was not limited to just simple nostalgia either. There were other interracial couples who took a leaf out of their book and shared their story. People were glad that Matt and Laura told their story. Interracial couples decided to let them know that they felt inspired after hearing about it.
Tyrese Gibson
The story was heard by a lot of people, including celebrities! Tyrese Gibson, the Fast and the Furious actor, found out about Matt and Laura. He was moved by their special story and their dedication to their relationship. In fact, he was so touched that he reached out to them!
Treating The Couple
Tyrese Gibson has always talked about how much he likes love stories. This is probably a candidate for the best one he has ever heard. He got in touch with Matt and Laura to tell them how he felt about their story. The actor also made them an offer of a 3-day Florida vacation! The couple will take him up on it.
The Grodskys’ Future
If you wanted to know how Matt and Laura are doing, they are now living together in Arizona. It has been two years since they walked down the aisle. He is now an account executive for a digital marketing agency, whereas Laura is working with a non-profit organization that helps children in need of foster care. Among other things, this young couple also purchased a house of their own.
Becoming Parents
Matt and Laura had more big news as well. They are now parents! Well, kind of. The couple adopted Kirby, a lovely little pup. It is nice to hear this, but are they planning on having their own kids?
Real Parents
People wanted to find out if Matt and Laura are thinking of starting their own family soon. The couple gave the magazine this answer: “We would love to have kids at some point. Right now we are focused on our new puppy Kirby and our new house.”
What A Journey
We are sure that you would agree with us when we say that Matt and Laura have had a great journey together. They met when they were both very young and got separated for 8 years. At last, things have worked out for these soulmates. “The best thing about our relationship is we are just silly and we appreciate each other every day,” the couple explained. They said, “Having gone through a long distance relationship, you learn really quick how much the other person means to you and we value our time.”
The Best In Each-Other
Matt and Laura know one another better than anyone else in their lives. What are their favorite things about their partner? We are sure that it cannot be easy to answer a question like this! “My favorite thing about Matt is his humor, he always makes me happy and he is the most driven person I know,” Laura replied, “He is always moving forward.” On the other hand, her husband said, “My favorite thing about Laura is her infectious smile and her desire to help those who are less fortunate. She is a force for good and it’s inspiring to be around her every day.”
The Moment They’d Been Waiting For
We are sure that, in the future, they will look back on their incredible story with awe. After all, it is not every day that you hear about such a thing happening! It was special to get married, but this not all there was to it…
A Wedding To Look Back On
We are sure that you are familiar with the tradition of the bride throwing a bouquet of flowers behind her. It is said that the girl who catches it would be the next to get married! There are times when girls end up fighting over it, but this was not the case during their big day. Everyone had been in good spirits!
Celebrating Their Love
For Laura and Matt, every single day is worth celebrating. It is not only because they are now married and planning a future together either. When it comes to these two, it is an even deeper connection. They are soulmates who time and distance could not split apart. True love wins.
One Small Step
This might be the end of the article, but it is just the beginning for Laura and Matt. The new chapter of their lives might have started out on a great note, but we are sure that they are going to do even greater things in the future. We wish them the best of luck!