Herald News

Lost and Found: Boy learns a powerful lesson

Tue, 14 May 2013 07:25:18 -0500

On April 30, I shared the sad story of a toddler named Jackson. While out on a play date in Bolingbrook, Jackson lost his very best friend in the world, a multicolored teddy bear named Teddy. Now, teddy bears are an important part of the lives of many children, but so much more so to Jackson, who has had to endure several open-heart operations to correct a congenital disorder. Teddy had been in Jackson’s life since the boy was 6 months old. The bear helped Jackson through the surgeries, lending the lad his grizzly bear courage, assuring Jackson all would …

Lost and Found: Injured woman loses the ashes of her brother

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:58:29 -0500

It takes a mere catastrophic second to change one’s life completely. I was 29 years old, sailing along on the back of my horse. One second, I was taking on a 3-foot jump. The next, I was on the ground, my leg crushed. One second. Linda K. Stone of Shorewood knows what it’s like. She has also been injured — physically and emotionally. Her nightmare began April 25 near Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. One second she was strolling along contentedly, the next instant, she found herself on the ground — dazed, injured and bleeding. “I hit the …

Lost and Found: ‘Teddy’ brought comfort to ill toddler

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:32:34 -0500

Many folks have a secret (or not-so-secret) security blanket or good-luck charm. For some, it’s a St. Christopher medal hanging from the rearview mirror to prevent mishaps. Others wear a “lucky shirt” to a job interview, or keep the first dollar they’ve earned in a frame, to ward off poverty. I personally have a “lucky fossil” on my person at all times (long story). I can envision the sophisticates out there, rolling their eyes, getting all puffed up and feeling superior to “superstitious cowardly types,” who rely on gewgaws to feel secure. “It is human intellect, combined with a measure …

Lost and Found: ‘Earth guardian’ finds an iPhone

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:03:14 -0500

Pat Manske of Joliet is truly a “good citizen,” a commodity becoming rarer and rarer with each passing year. Many of us — myself included — have degrees of difficulty cleaning up our messes, much less anonymous messes made by strangers. Not Manske. She not only tidies up her property, she’s a bona fide “guardian of the earth,” a woman who takes care of the world. She’s also an honest woman. Thus, when she found an iPhone in the course of her duties, she wanted to make every effort to get it back to its rightful owner. I don’t know …

Lost and Found: Shoe goes AWOL during birthday celebration

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:08:12 -0500

On Saturday, March 23, Sarah Kowalski and her lifelong friend, Mayra, went shopping in celebration of their birthdays. “Mayra and I were born four days part. Every year, we go shopping either at Water Tower Place or Oak Brook Center,” Kowalski said. “We’ve been doing this for nearly 20 years. The only time we missed this ritual was eight years ago when I went into labor.” Though she generally schleps around in sweats, Kowalski decided to dress to the nines for the occasion. She donned her charcoal grey Anne Klein pantsuit and, with a thrill, slipped on the brand new …

Lost and Found: Woman gets feline surprise for April Fools’ Day

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:41:49 -0500

Margaret Hawkins and her husband live on the far northwest reaches of Will County on the remains of what was once a working farm. A country girl at heart, Hawkins loves the idea of having plenty of room for their three dogs, Amazon parrot and menagerie of beloved cats. “It’s pretty safe to say that one of the big reasons we got married was our mutual love of cats,” she said. “We were both raised in animal-loving households, and we both had a favorite cat growing up. Mine was named Miss Gray, a huge tabby… I still tear up when …

Lost and Found: Lost ring brightens up a gray winter day

Fri, 03 May 2013 06:06:55 -0500

It’s April, and in my estimation, Mother Nature owes us. What the heck happened last month? We got through January and half of February with very little snow and mild temperatures. It appeared as if “Old Man Winter” was in an unusually jolly mood — lolloping up in the clouds and sprinkling an occasional flurry of delightfully fluffy snowflakes on our fair county. The long-suffering denizens of Will County were going to get through winter without having to slalom down Interstate 55, or so it seemed. When Feb. 2 arrived, and Punxsutawney Phil prognosticated an early spring, folks boxed up …

Lost and Found: ‘Fifty Shades’ heist interrupts a hot read

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 06:04:47 -0500

You’d have to be an ascetic not to have heard of the scorching, hot trilogy by author, E. L. James, that began with “Fifty Shades of Grey.” I have not read the series — and not because I’m a prude. It’s simply that I turn fifty shades of scarlet at the mere idea of buying or borrowing “female fantasy” books. There may come a day when I download them. Then again, I’m afraid my Nook might melt. Darnice Dudley of Joliet has my utmost respect. She procured copies of “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Fifty Shades Darker,” and was determined …

Lost and Found: Rosary evokes old memories

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:28:00 -0500

With a brand new pope in The Vatican, it seems an appropriate time to share a poignant find by Jyme Shepherd of Joliet — a violet rosary made of glass. The rosary conjured up haunting images from my youth. In first grade at Our Lady of Vilna School in Chicago, the nuns began the futile task of teaching their charges to sit still during Mass. At such a tender age, Mass bored me. Incense made my nose itch, but scratching my tingling nostrils — or (horrors!) holding my nose — resulted in a lightning-quick cuff from Sister Leona. I tried …

Lost and Found: What’s behind lost rings?

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 06:10:05 -0500

There seems to be a score of lost wedding rings these days. In some cases, weight loss — resulting in bony fingers — is the cause. Such was the case with Chuck Dzak of Shorewood, whose story I shared last Tuesday. In other instances, cold temperatures may temporarily shrink fingers. But, neither weight loss nor frigid temperatures alone explain the sheer number of rings reported lost. I personally smell a conspiracy — something like a ring of gold thieves wielding gamma ray guns with the power to molecularly restructure precious metal. Another lost gold band Last week, I got a …

Lost and Found: A side effect of losing weight

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 06:07:06 -0500

Believe it or not, there’s a downside to losing weight. Just ask Chuck Dzak of Shorewood. This disciplined gent deprived himself of his favorite toothsome morsels for months, bravely ignoring the persistent roar of his empty stomach. He walked instead of riding, and learned to pirouette, tap dance, tango and rhumba. And for all his hard work and diligent effort, he lost 15 pounds. That’s quite an accomplishment, and he deserves our sincere respect and congratulations. He certainly has my admiration. Imagine, for a moment, losing the equivalent of 15 one-pound packages of Land O’ Lakes butter — four sticks …

Lost and Found: Unsung hero loses wallet performing noble deed

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:05:59 -0500

You’ve likely heard the adage: No good deed goes unpunished. Perhaps you’ve even lived it. You know how it goes — you help your neighbor push his Chevy Tahoe out of a snow bank and end up covered in slush. Or, the moment you loan your brother-in-law $500, your water heater goes out. Do you suppose this is why so many folks are reluctant to perform good deeds? Toni Thomas of Joliet is living proof that there is more than a measure of truth to the cliche, but I doubt that will discourage her from being a giving person. Like …

Lost and Found: Honesty makes living worthwhile

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:13:22 -0500

Mark Wetherbee of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — formerly of Joliet — contacted me a couple of weeks ago, asking if I wanted some good news. Of course, I wanted good news. Heaven knows, there’s enough bad news in this world to fill the depths of the Grand Canyon with emotional sludge. At any rate, Wetherbee shared that someone in Joliet had done a selfless deed, and he wanted to share the details. He followed up with an email about a woman who has played an important role in the Lost & Found column. His email began: “If you have ever …

Lost and Found: Grave robbers deserve ill luck

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:29:11 -0500

Grave robbing has always been a profitable pastime for macabre crooks who prey on the dead. Since antiquity, society has come up with some pretty creative ways to discourage would-be grave-robbers. If Boris Karloff movies are any measure, the ancient Egyptians dealt most effectively with “nogoodniks” who desecrated the pyramids. Having a moldy, old mummy — gift-wrapped in gauze and trailing toilet paper — stalking you in a dark place might dissuade the most determined thief. As terrifying as the idea of being pursued by a mummy is, some money-hungry profiteers simply couldn’t resist the gold, diamonds and ivory stashed …

Lost and Found: Honesty is such a rare virtue these days

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:16:55 -0500

I don’t know about you, but I’m thrilled January is over. True, it hasn’t been a particularly harsh winter — so far — but winter is winter. It’s dark, it’s cold and it’s gray. It has snowed just enough to make driving miserable, but not enough to warrant a snow day. Traditionally, February isn’t much better, but at least it’s only 28 days long. By March 1, the days will be longer and the sun will begin to work its magic on the frigid northern hemisphere. And maybe I’ll finally thaw out. We humans think we’re pretty darn special, but …

Lost and Found: The mystery of the lost and found dog

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 06:40:22 -0500

Alicia O’Connor of Plainfield called to share a mystery that began 17 years ago, with a Rottweiler named Thor. O’Connor and her husband, Bob, were newly married and owners of a modest home near 135th Street and Plainfield-Naperville Road. Because both were animal lovers, they fenced their yard and dreamed of a dog. “The day the fence was finished, we began our search for a Rottweiler, because we both grew up with them,” she said. “We found a breeder in Bloomington, and that’s where we first laid eyes on Thor.” At 6 weeks of age, the pup was the runt …