She recognized grandma’s handwriting in a stranger’s blog and uncovered a 23-year-old letter meant for her

For years, a copy of Ann Patchett's 'State of Wonder' sat silent on a shelf in Mount Pleasant, D.C., hiding a secret that its owner, Katie Slocum, didn't know anything about. So, when the 36-year-old finally cracked the spine of the novel, she was surprised to find a handwritten letter from 2003, from an unnamed grandmother to a girl named "Jackie": the girl who staged impromptu performances for her family. While most of us would've read the letter and tucked it back away, Slocum decided to make it her mission to reunite the keepsake with its owner, the Washington Post reported on April 28.

The hunt for 'Jackie' begins

"Instantly, I knew it was something special," said Slocum, a program manager at American University. Nonetheless, while she had made this promise to herself, this task was going to be an uphill battle for her, especially with not even a last name on her hands. However, the thought of how she yearned for the closeness that this girl Jackie had with her grandmother made her decide to start the search. So, on February 26th, she posted the letter's details on three D.C.-focused social media forums. 

An impossible headline

She also contacted Dan Silverman, who runs the neighborhood blog PoPville under the nom de plume "Prince of Petworth," to issue a callout for Jackie. While she admitted this was a "long shot," she didn't imagine what would happen next. Jacqueline Roche stumbled upon PoPville's Instagram posts the very next day, and when she read a headline about a lost letter, it caused her to pause. She instantly recognized the cursive writing in the photo of the letter and to whom it was addressed. "I knew right away that was my letter,” she said. "I was so shocked."

Without wasting a single moment, Roche sent a message to PoPville's Instagram account telling them that she was the Jackie from the letter, which her paternal grandmother had given to her for her 16th birthday. The letter, which she had unknowingly given away about four years ago, had always been on her mind. She was still in shock seeing the lengths someone would go to in order to return the letter to her, when Silverman replied and asked her for her email to connect her with Slocum. Roche then sent Slocum a message thanking her and asking to meet so she could get the letter back. 

The story behind the letter

The following weekend, both of them met at the Mount Pleasant town square, where they not only exchanged the letter but also got to know the story behind it. As it turns out, back in 2003, Roche's parent threw a huge birthday party for her. They rented a catering hall in Bergen County, New Jersey, where she grew up, and invited dozens of family and friends. It was there that Roche followed a tradition of naming 16 people in her life, giving a short speech about their importance to her, and lighting birthday candles one by one in turn. 

A childhood revived

Her grandma Irene Roche helped her light one of the last candles. She also mentioned that the two have always been close with her grandmother, Irene Roche, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, being the first person to take her granddaughter across the Hudson River into New York. She even took Jackie to her first Broadway show when she was in elementary school. Irene Roche, who grew up in the Bronx, raised two children and worked as a bookkeeper until retiring in her 70s.

The two continue to talk, and Irene and her friends at her senior community were tickled by the story of the letter, because it’s the rare bit of news that’s not about a friend’s sickness or death. Roche kept this letter with her everywhere she went until she somehow gave it away and imagined how disappointing it would've been if she'd lost such a treasure. However, thanks to Slocum, she only has to imagine. That's why even Irene praised Slocum for sacrificing her time and energy to help a stranger instead of throwing it away, as she continues to tell her more about the letter.

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