Woman evicted as a kid at 11 was forced to leave everything behind. 20 yrs later, she got a message that left her bawling
Every little belonging, fragrance, word, and simple thing has the power to hold profound memories. When it comes to our good old days, random stuff like scribbled pieces of paper, a worn-out shirt, etc., holds so much of our childhood. Then-11-year-old Hannah Mitchell also had boxes full of these memories where she lived with her mother back in the 90s, NPR reported. Unfortunately, when the mother-daughter duo was evicted, she had no choice but to leave most of her precious items behind. The hollowness of letting go of her childhood turned around when she got a notification two decades later.
Mitchelle had been living with her mom, who had schizophrenia, and the duo often struggled and had issues. Then-little Mitchell’s saving grace was her neighbors, Steve and Patti Erikson, who understood and empathized with the girl so she could have a slightly better life. Recalling that life-changing day, Patti noted how she saw the little girl running behind her mom towards a bus station. “You looked like you had on every article of clothing you could wear and your mom was carrying a bag,” she recounted. It was a giveaway that they were not coming back. When they spoke to the landlord, they were informed that the duo had been evicted.
Mitchell mentioned that it wasn’t a smooth ride for her from here. They went from motel to motel and it took a serious amount of thought and strength to make a life for herself. In the meantime, the girl’s remaining belongings were left on the streets. “We pulled out your schoolwork, some school photos, and one of your baby shoes. I mean, it was just all sorts of random stuff, but it was all the stuff that means something to someone,” the couple explained. What happened to the items thereafter was a mystery to Mitchell. When she grew up, got married and became a mother, she ached to have a glimpse at her childhood and see if her children had any features like hers.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have anything to look back on. The woman remembered that she went to Lida Hooe Elementary and turned to social media to request her school photos. Nearly 20 years after her eviction, she was trying to reunite with a part of herself and as fate would have it, hope came along. Patti had been looking up Mitchell on Facebook and tried to find her. “I found that note of someone from Lida Hooe looking for photos,” she recalled. She figured out it was the same 11-year-old, now a woman, trying to reconnect with her past.
Call it a heart of gold or just an instinct, but for 20 years, the couple safely stored the childhood items in their garage. They often glanced through them, wondering whether they should get rid of them. However, they always assured themselves that one day, Mitchell would come for them. Finally, the woman had answers. “I never thought I'd see anything of my past ever again — pictures of myself, baby items, just childhood. It's back. P.S. My son looks just like me,” she remarked. In the 20-year wait, the couple formed a bond with Mitchell through glimpses of her life and hope for her future. “It was good to be able to find you. And you've become such a strong, confident woman. We couldn't be prouder of you than if we were your own parents,” they said.
