GRESHAM, Ore. — A Gresham man has his late partner’s ashes back thanks to a good Samaritan and a chance encounter with me and my photographer.
“I’m happy I got her ashes back because they’re irreplaceable,” said Kevin Mason.
Mason returned home Sunday from a weeks-long hunting trip to find his house had been burglarized. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff had been stolen. The most precious item taken was an urn with Mason’s late partner’s ashes.
“I don’t care about the rest of the stuff,” he said. “The ashes were the most important thing to this family.”
That is exactly what a Portland woman was thinking when she found an urn of ashes while walking her dog Friday morning.
“I thought someone is missing something that belongs to them and they probably want it back,” said the woman who wants to go by Kristin.
Kristin made several calls, including to KGW. By late Friday afternoon the story was on KGW's website. That is where I saw the story for the first time and perhaps it was meant to be.
About an hour later my photographer and I were grabbing dinner when we met a guy who had been the victim of a home burglary. Ashes were taken during the break-in. I showed a picture of the urn to him.
“It’s definitely her urn,” said Kevin.
I contacted the newsroom and they put me in touch with Kristin. I put her in touch with Kevin. The rest is history, or as some will say, fate.
“I know if it was mine I’d be upset it was stolen so I’m glad it’s going back to the person it belongs to,” said Kristin.
“She totally made my day,” added Kevin.
Kevin is relieved the ashes are back, but many other personal items are still missing. If you have any information about this case you are urged to contact the Gresham Police Department.