An Iowa family was reunited with their grandparents’ wedding photo after almost 16 years.
Hope Tompkins was browsing Facebook when she came across an old photo of her grandparents.
It had been posted on the city of Parkersburg’s Facebook page on Jan. 22, where officials hoped someone would recognize the couple among artifacts they had from the 2008 tornado that devastated the city.
“That’s my grandfather and grandmother,” Tompkins responded less than 15 minutes later.
The photo shows Tompkins’ grandparents, Raymond and Maxine Randall.
In the throwback, Raymond is wearing his World War II military uniform, having served in part of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France, his daughter Marcia Mull told KGAN.
Mull was thrilled to have the photo back in her possession after losing it in 2008 after an EF5 tornado ripped through Parkersburg.
Hope Tompkins was browsing Facebook when she came across an old photo of her grandparents. City of Parkersburg, Iowa/Facebook It had been posted on the city of Parkersburg’s Facebook page on Jan. 22, where officials hoped someone would recognize the couple among artifacts they had from the 2008 tornado that devastated the city. City of Parkersburg, Iowa/Facebook
Tomkins’ home was located on a stretch of Highway 14 that was particularly hard hit during the tornado. When she and her mother returned to the scene, they discovered that she had lost everything, including her photograph.
“We sat there and it was just… it was just devastating,” Mull told the local outlet.
The photo was among “thousands” of images and artifacts that the city of Parkersburg “redeemed and still had value,” Parkersburg City Manager Christopher Luhring told the outlet.
Tomkins’ mother, Marcia Mull, was thrilled to have the photo back in her possession after losing it in 2008 after an EF5 tornado ripped through Parkersburg, killing nine people. WLBT
“We’ve had so many good stories come to light over the last 16 years. It’s just incredible to reflect on what that image meant. But then seeing the excitement and joy in the family that got him back is great,” he said.
The Post has contacted Tomkins for comment.
The 2008 Parkersburg tornado tore through the city after it struck on May 25, causing extensive damage and killing nine people.
The 2008 Parkersburg tornado tore through the city after it struck on May 25, causing extensive damage and killing nine people. AP
The natural disaster brought 205 mph winds and had a path of destruction just under 45 miles long, according to CBS 2 Iowa.
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