Florida Woman Found an Unmarked Package at Airport, Forever Altering Her Life

The man’s despair was so profound the couple couldn’t ignore his cries. The security guards had forced him to throw his bundle in the trash as a safety measure. Little did they know they would uncover something incredible when retrieving the mysterious package from the trash can—something that would send them on an equally amazing journey. 

They drove to St. Petersburg- Clearwater Airport. It was a typical, even sunny day for them as Ivelise bade her goodbyes. It was meant to be a short trip, but nevertheless, something seemed odd that day. The security at the airport seemed tighter than usual. 

Ivelise and Rico are part of a generation that has become accustomed to long queues at airports in the United States. It’s part of the country’s modern-day culture to double-check if the items you carry are permitted or if they will end up in a trash can on the premises. 

Usually, people don’t make as much of a fuss when they have to discard their shampoo bottles or toothpaste tubes; clearly, there was something else going on here. Security made him throw away a package. This moment would change the couple’s lives forever. 

Airports worldwide have to face different security measures, making packing luggage an excruciating task. Passengers have to do a lot of research on their departing and landing destinations. This alarmed man had something that was clearly on the forbidden items list. 

The forbidden items tend to be liquids above a certain amount of milliliters, including water bottles, sharp objects such as scissors, some electronic devices, and, naturally, any flammable object. Usually, items can be easily repurchased inside the building, but that wasn’t the case for the man who had to discard his package. 

In our story, the situation was tense. After any tumultuous event, security guards get overly vigilant to avoid any further altercations. This seems counterproductive for those who have to be in the queue waiting. The man begged the TSA agents to allow him to have his package sent by mail, but unfortunately, that service wasn’t available at that airport.

The man was on the verge of tears and couldn’t believe he had to throw his package away. Ivelise and Rico noticed and knew they had to do something—this was no ordinary object, and they would figure out how to help this stranger. 

The loving girlfriend gave her partner a big hug and a kiss, and then she asked Rico if he could go through the bins and fetch the strange package that the man had left behind. She knew it couldn’t be dangerous because the TSA agents would’ve taken it if it had. 

Things thrown into trash cans eventually end up in a landfill, so it’s no crime to go through the garbage. He knew that his intentions were good. So, there he went, mystery package in hand. He left the airport and drove back home to Tampa. 

It’s difficult taking a stand on this topic since security is an essential aspect of transportation, but there are also human and emotional elements to consider. Ivelise was thrilled to know that her boyfriend had successfully retrieved the package. Unfortunately, she would have to wait a few hours until she landed to know what came of it. 

They decided that the surprise couldn’t wait and that this item could be important to its owner, so time could be crucial in such a situation. The way the man was so distraught by losing this package—it must have had a great deal of sentimental value to him.

A snowglobe? That’s what caused such mayhem at the airport? He first thought it seemed ridiculous that a man was ridiculed in front of a crowd. The fact that he almost lost his flight because of an ordinary-looking snow globe was borderline ridiculous. But then he looked a little closer. 

In this case,  the piece had a picture of a little girl on one side and her grandparents on the other, as well as an engraving that read, “We love you, Katie. Nana and Papa. January 25th, 2016” When it was wound up, it played the song “Greensleeves.” 

 Finding someone you’ve only seen from afar for a few minutes in an airport is a daunting task—especially without any information to go on. Anyone else would have given up immediately, but Ivelise and Rico’s hearts were too big, and they couldn’t possibly have the story end there. 

They had no last name, address, or any relevant information—only the fact that the man had flown from St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport to an unknown destination. But it was their duty as well-meaning people to give it back to the rightful owner. And so, they had an idea for the seemingly impossible pursuit.

The internet tends to be the most useful tool in our modern era for finding helpful information. Search engines, such as Google, make it easy. It’s also possible to connect with friends and communities of people with similar interests. So Ivelise took a leap of faith and hopped online. 

She wrote a Facebook post describing the shape, size, and pictures of the globe. She also described the engraving and attached pictures, recounting the story at the airport as carefully as possible. Social platforms such as Facebook can help people connect with communities in their area, as well as find people with common interests all around the world.

The optimistic duo weren’t very sure about the next steps and left the internet to do its thing. They assumed that, given their limited network, they would get up to 200 shares. Nothing could have prepared them for what would happen next. 

A week passed by. What began as a wish to a wishing well turned into a tidal wave of public notice—it had been shared 48,000 times or more. The post was so popular the couple was shocked it was even possible. But had the traction it gained been enough? 

She received a message from a woman who claimed she had information. This stranger wasn’t related and didn’t even know the man, so it was odd that she would come forward. It turned out that she was a worker from a gift shop called “Things Remembered.” 

At this point, the case had become an internet sensation, and people wanted a happy ending. The eager worker had taken notice of the story. She sent the pictures to the company headquarters in Ohio, asking if it was possible to track the order. 

It was such a harrowing search, but it seemed like there was light at the end of the tunnel. Linda ordered the snowglobe because it was meant to be a gift for her five-year-old granddaughter, Katie. But because of the incident with airport security, Katie never received her gift.  

As we know, he wasn’t able to fulfill his mission. The TSA made him discard the gift, and Katie never received the beautiful token of her grandparents’ love. But luckily, Ivelise and Rico witnessed the mistreatment Michael had gone through. Because of their compassion, there was still hope.

Having access to the Things Remembered headquarters was very helpful, and the employee managed to get hold of valuable data. Soon enough, they had access to Linda’s phone number and address. When Ivelise and Rico received that information, they couldn’t believe it.

When the couple checked the address the employee from Things Remembered had provided, they were beyond shocked. Linda Modry lived in the same area as they did! They were in complete disbelief and were eager to return that precious gift at last. 

The news reporters contacted Ivelise and took on the story—they wanted to be there when the reunion finally occurred. Little did they know that they would be witness to a tender scene. Ivelise’s act of kindness had a profound effect on the Modry family.

These two women could’ve walked past each other many times, unaware that, someday, a simple trinket would unite them forever. It had been quite a ride, and everyone was desperate to see the story drawn to a close. 

These two caring women were now connected by a piece of memorabilia and a story that they would remember for their entire lives. Following the embrace, Ivelise realized just how much her random act of kindness really meant.

The snowglobe was meant to be a birthday gift for Katie, Linda’s granddaughter, and the timing could not have been better, as the day was still to come up. If Rico hadn’t gone through that trash bin after witnessing Michael’s distasteful experience at the airport, Katie would never have received her special gift. 

Linda Modry was beyond grateful, but there was still one more person that had to get involved in the eventful celebration: Michael—the man that Ivelise and Rico decided to help, an unplanned act of altruism that came from the bottom of their hearts. 

The grateful family couldn’t possibly express with words how much the trinket meant to them, but they tried their best when, between tears and smiles, they told Ivelise the story behind the heartfelt gift. 

Before heading back to Ohio, Linda had the special snowglobe made on commission through her local Things Remembered store. Michael was supposed to deliver the gift before the TSA agents made him dump it in the airport trash can. 

The trinket would serve as a reminder that Katie now had a family that would cherish and love her forever. The Modry family wanted to be the best possible grandparents to their granddaughter. As Linda handed her the phone, Ivelise was clearly moved.

When Linda told Katie that a lovely young lady named Ivelise had saved her package, they could hear the jumps of joy from the toddler on the other side of the line. It was a moment neither family would ever forget. 

Linda agreed that Ivelise was a kind soul. She said, “People are good, but she’s exceptional.” And she was right. Very few people would have had the courage to partake in such an ordeal to help a stranger. She attributed her attitude to her mother, who taught her always to do good—especially when people are in need. 

At this point, Ivelise knew the magic of the internet, and, as expected, it didn’t fail to deliver one last time. Hundreds of comments, full of positive feedback, brought the story back to light. People love a happy ending, and this was no ordinary anecdote. 

We’re certain that Ivelise will be an excellent mother, teaching her child the important values of honesty, perseverance, and standing up for what is right. She will also probably never try to gift her child a snow globe from a vacation abroad—unless she puts the gift in her checked luggage. 

According to the TSA website, it is possible to bring a snow globe on a plane, but only if it contains less than 3.4 ounces of liquid, which makes it smaller than a tennis ball. If you’re ever traveling with one of these, it might be something to keep in mind!

Liquids, for example, aren’t allowed on planes because of their transparent nature. It’s difficult to distinguish water from certain chemicals that look exactly like water and are practically indistinguishable, such as nitroglycerine. 

There are some very strange objects that are also forbidden, such as hair dye, tents, fishing rods, canned goods, and shoe insoles! Even worse, cheese and sausages tend not to be allowed on planes. X-ray machines can’t distinguish them from bombs. Crazy right? Luckily, times are changing, and technology at airport security checkpoints is advancing quickly. Hopefully, we’ll see a change soon!