A woman’s search for Halloween costumes in Indiana led to an unexpected discovery: a World War II soldier’s coat. Zuleika King Rivera found the coat, priced at $9.99, at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Fort Wayne. Marked as a ‘Halloween Jacket,’ it held a piece of history within its fabric.
The coat’s inner tag bore the name ‘Willibey’ and part of a military service number. Rivera, a U.S. Army veteran, felt a strong urge to learn more about the owner. ‘I come from a military family,’ she explained, highlighting her deep respect and empathy for service members.
This coat represented more than clothing to Rivera. It symbolized a person who served, a story that needed to be told. ‘I just had this immediate feeling: I have to buy this. I have to figure out who this man was and, if his family is still out there, I have to try to give it back.’
Once home, Rivera dedicated hours to researching the coat’s origins. Connecting the dots between the name, service number, and historical records, she learned the full name: Gilbert Alton Willibey from Indiana. Born on April 8, 1917, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, was drafted in 1941, and spent time in South Africa.
The coat featured patches that hinted at Gilbert’s military tenure—about six years of service, including three overseas, and he was a corporal. After returning in 1946, Gilbert married Dorothy and had a son, Bruce.
Rivera’s search revealed Bruce had passed away, but left behind a daughter. Rivera reached out to Meghan Stewart, Gilbert’s granddaughter. Through mutual connections, Rivera eventually spoke with Meghan and shared her grandfather’s military history.
The question of how the coat landed in a thrift store remains, though they speculate it was included in an estate sale after Gilbert’s death, accidentally mingling with other belongings.
After coordinating a meeting, Rivera returned the coat to Meghan. The moment was deeply emotional as Meghan held a tangible link to her family history. Rivera empathized deeply, imagining such a moment in her own life.
While the coat’s return felt like solving a puzzle, Rivera emphasized a more profound satisfaction. ‘The fulfillment wasn’t really in solving the mystery. It was knowing that those hours of searching resulted in another human being getting something back that connected her to her grandfather.’
A family artifact, missing for decades, had found its way back home, bridging past and present.
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