Couple accidentally sold their 1966 wedding record — until a stranger’s thrift store find brought it back

Sometimes, fate works in mysterious ways to reconnect us with pieces of our past we thought were lost forever. It might take a chance discovery, a kind stranger or even a simple act of curiosity to bring back memories we didn’t know we needed. This is one such story of an unexpected reunion. Katie Ornelas, an Austin resident, purchased a record titled “The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn” at a local thrift store, as per the New York Post. But when she opened the sleeve, she found something unexpected: a vinyl labeled “Phil’s and Donna’s Wedding.” Curious, she played it and was surprised to hear wedding vows, prayers and cheers recorded on the disc.

“We put it on, and we were just instantly connected with that record,” Ornelas told KXAN-TV. “We wanted to make sure it found its way back to its family because it was in a different sleeve.” Determined to return the record to its rightful owners, Ornelas shared the story with local media, hoping someone would recognize the names. Her efforts paid off when the Schmidts’ daughter’s best friend came across the article and alerted the family. Dr. Phil Schmidt and Donna Packer Schmidt, the couple named on the record, were identified as the mystery couple. “We celebrated our 58th anniversary last August,” Donna shared. “What a gift for us to have this recording back in time for our 59th next year!”

The couple married on August 21, 1966, in Los Altos Hills, California. Afterward, they moved to Austin, Texas, where Phil taught at the University of Texas for over 40 years. In 2022, the Schmidts relocated to Denver to be closer to their daughter and her family and held an estate sale to downsize. During the sale, their wedding record was accidentally sold, tucked into the sleeve of a jazz album. “We had a large record collection and somehow our wedding vinyl made its way into a jazz cover,” Donna explained. “Makes me wonder what other treasure we left behind?”

For Ornelas, the find was deeply meaningful. “We anticipated that it’s probably missing its owners,” she said. She never expected the record would lead her to a story spanning nearly six decades. “It was in a different sleeve, and we just wanted to do the right thing,” she added. The Schmidts were overjoyed to have the recording back, a piece of their history they thought they’d lost forever. “It’s amazing to think it traveled all that way and ended up with someone who cared enough to bring it back to us,” Donna said. This shows that the kindness of strangers often leads to heartwarming reunions.

But sometimes, it’s the unexpected kindness from those already in our lives. In another story, a bride named Jess Anastasi, who had always dreamed of the traditional father-daughter dance at her wedding, was devastated when her father refused to dance with her. “I waited my whole life and was so excited to dance with my dad on my wedding day. I was so heartbroken,” she shared. Just when it seemed her dream was slipping away, her father-in-law stepped up without hesitation. He gently led her onto the dance floor. Praising her father-in-law, she said, "I’m so lucky to have my Father-In-Law. He makes me feel more loved than my own dad."