WESTERVILLE, Ohio — While recently removing clutter from a Central Ohio home, workers of a moving company stumbled upon what turns out to be a treasure.
It was just another junk removal job for Brodie Miller and his crew from Two Men And A Truck.
“I took the upstairs to the house, was going through a lot of what they presumed was junk. And I stumbled across that flag.”
While the orders were to remove items from the house, he thought this was definitely not junk.
“I think it stood out as a piece of importance, given it was in a wooden enclosure with glass, I knew that had to be something of value.”
It turns out he was correct, and you can’t put a price on what he found for those who treasure it.
“We thought we’d removed anything of any value out of the house. And the rest was just stuff to be donated and disposed of,” said William Hamilton.
Hamilton’s mother lived in the house. And the flag, was buried in Europe with his great uncle Gerald Hamilton, an army pilot shot down and killed in World War II during operation varsity.
“It means a lot. I grew up with all the stories my grandfather told of his brother, Gerald. Gerald was the typical wild child,” said Hamilton. “Him becoming a pilot was just right up his ally. Because he was just this kid that wanted to do all things.”
Hamilton sent a thank you email to Brodie. But hadn’t been able to thank him face to face, until now they were set up by Spectrum News.
“You know, I can’t tell you how wonderful it is for you to have given me this gift. It’s brought me a lot of joy already. It’s just amazing,” Hamilton told Miller.
As the two chat, Miller explains how returning the flag was equally rewarding for him.
“I truly believe right place at the right time,” said Miller. “And I know what it meant to me, I still have my dad’s flag with me at home, and it’s something I cherish from the bottom of my heart, so like, the least I could do was like, bring it to your attention.”
Miller’s father, Vietnam Veteran Arthur William Joseph Miller III, passed away from ALS when Brodie was just 13, so Brodie knows what the flag means to family’s like his.
“I remember like it was yesterday, you know, sitting next to my dad’s grave, shooting off the guns, the salute and everything. Like, having my eyes on that flag, like, I can’t wait for them to put that in my hands, so to be able to give that back to you, knowing that feeling for me, yeah, it’s a great feeling.”
With Gerald Hamilton’s flag back with his family, his great nephew is still a little shocked, but it makes him happy to have it back. As the two now share a bond: a connection to the memories of family members whose service is a treasure.
