Man couldn't afford letterman jacket, 28 years later, brother finds it at thrift shop

About three decades ago, a red and golden letterman jacket lay waiting for its owner at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. The jacket, customized with "Jed" and other varsity motifs, never made it into the hands of the student who had ordered it. Over time, it passed from shop to shop until it ended up in a thrift store in 2021. There, a man named Josh stumbled upon the pristine jacket and immediately recognized its potential significance. He called his brother, Jed Mottley (@jedidiahmottley on Instagram), to share the incredible find. Overjoyed, Jed couldn’t wait another moment. As reported by PEOPLE, he rushed to meet Josh and finally retrieve the jacket he thought he had lost forever.

The letterman jacket featured ribbed elastic cuffs, tan leather sleeves, iron-on patches, black buttons, and stitched motifs, including Jed's name. Jed, a member of his high school varsity football team, had originally ordered the jacket with his mother. However, when it came time to pick it up, the $300-$400 price tag made it unaffordable, and he had to leave it behind. It was a heartbreaking moment for Jed, especially as he watched his classmates proudly wearing their own letterman jackets.

Decades later, this thrift-store discovery was more than just a reunion with an item of clothing—it was the return of a symbol of youthful dreams and memories long past.

"I loved my football team. I loved all the guys on the team. Most of them had letterman jackets. I was bummed. I didn't tell anybody. I was a little embarrassed about it," Jed shared. Jed let go of the jacket, and 28 years went by. Then, one day, as luck would have it, his brother Josh decided to visit the Veterans Village Thrift Store in Pinetop, Arizona, where he received a phone call and some pictures from Jed. When he saw the pictures, he couldn’t believe it—Josh had stumbled upon his prized school-time desire that he never fulfilled.

Josh purchased the jacket for $25, less than one-third of the original amount. Jed couldn’t believe it. He attributed this reunion to his late mom. Before passing away, his mom often told him that wherever she would go, she’d send signs. This episode made him believe that she was telling the truth. “That thing’s been sitting somewhere in perfect condition for 28 years,” Josh told ABC 15. “I just kept looking at it, saying this can’t be real. I can tell you I felt my mom’s presence with us when I met up with him to give it to him.”

The jacket was donated by a man from Mesa, 174 miles from Pinetop – less than 20 miles from Chaparral High School, Maggie Heath at Veterans Village told CNN. She said that the store is now planning to do the same with other letterman jackets. They recently received about 1,000 letterman jackets. The story of Jed and his jacket spread worldwide, triggering several events including a school reunion, a music tour, and even a comment from Tom Hanks, who said he was going to steal the story for a movie. “This is a timeless story. There’s always such a heartwarming response when people hear the story for the first time,” Jed shared with the Good News Network.