Lost wallet found after 18 years

    Have you ever lost something in a sofa, never to find it again? Former Washington resident Nathan Graber had a similar experience 18 years ago. One day in his eighth grade year, Nathan noticed his trousers felt a bit lighter than normal. The reason: his wallet was missing.

    He remembered that he took his wallet to his friend Ryan Shultz?s house the day before. The two searched every nook and cranny of the house to no avail. The wallet was lost. For nearly two decades, the location of the billfold remained a mystery ? that is, until this year. Earlier in the summer, Nathan got a Facebook message from Ryan?s sister, Megan El Haoud. She had good news to share: the wallet is lost no longer. Megan?s husband Mourad found it while taking apart the recliner in their home in Marion.

    Judy Murphy, Ryan?s mother, said that the wallet must have fallen into the recliner when Nathan sat in it 18 years ago. Ryan said that when it fell into the recliner, instead of falling to the bottom, it was caught between some bars or springs within the chair. Three years ago, Megan moved to Marion and took the recliner with her, wallet and all. A few months ago, Mourad spotted an insect crawl into the recliner. He pulled the back of the chair off, and to his amazement discovered a young man?s billfold inside.

Judy said that when Mourad showed Megan the billfold, she couldn?t remember who Nathan Graber was. She asked Ryan if he knew, and of course he said yes.

For more, see our Sept. 16 print edition.