DINWIDDIE, Va. -- A Dinwiddie man was searching for the owner of a folded American flag, passport with a 1935 birthdate and box filled with pictures and other sentimental items that he found on the side of the road Friday afternoon.
Cameron Walker, truckdriver and Carson and Dinwiddie volunteer firefighter, said he was driving with a coworker along 288, approaching Huguenot Trail in Richmond, when he saw the military style folded American flag in the road.
"Being in the fire service, I know what a folded flag means. My grandfather was a World War II veteran so we have one in the family," said Walker. "Knowing the significance behind it, you don’t put a flag on the ground. So, natural instinct is to pick it up.”
Walker said as the cars whizzed by him, he began to find more personal items scattered for about 50 yards along the road.
One of those items was a passport with a 1935 birthdate and 1982 expiration date.
“All kinds of certificates, baby pictures, all kinds of stuff," said Walker as he went through the items Friday. “Stuff like that you can’t replace it.”
Among the photos and personal items was a stuffed dog holding a red heart with the words 'Rescue Me' on it.
"I laughed," Walker said as he recalled picking up the stuffed animal.
He said he found it 'ironic,' and believed it may have been a message for him.
“Just right thing to do, get it back to ‘em," said Walker.
In an interview with CBS 6 Friday, Walker said he had reached out to a woman on Facebook who he believed to be a family member of the owner based on the name he found on the items.
Later in the evening, Walker told CBS 6 he had been in touch with a woman that he believed was the owner, and that he was set to reunite the family with their belongings in the coming days.
“Don’t hurt to do a good deed," said Walker.
He added that he would do it again if he had to.
