During a visit to a thrift store in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Zuleika King Rivera stumbled upon an unexpected piece of history. She found a military coat once worn by a soldier during World War II. Searching for Halloween costumes for her children at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store, Rivera noticed a coat marked at $9.99, labeled as a “Halloween Jacket.”

Rivera immediately sensed the coat’s significance. “Inside, there was a name: ‘Willibey,'” Rivera explained. Alongside the name were military details, including the last four digits of the service number. As a U.S. Army veteran herself, Rivera felt an obligation to uncover the story behind the coat.

I come from a military family. My husband is a veteran, and military service runs throughout his family as well. So I’ve always had a lot of respect, passion, and empathy for service members and veterans.

Determined to learn more about the coat’s owner, Rivera invested several hours in research. Using the name and service number, she pieced together the history of Gilbert Alton Willibey from Indiana. Gilbert was born on April 8, 1917, and served in the U.S. Army beginning in 1941. He spent time in South Africa and served overseas for three years as a corporal, returning home in 1946.

Rivera’s investigation led her to discover that Gilbert married Dorothy, and they had a son, Bruce. Sadly, Bruce had recently passed away, which was a bittersweet realization for Rivera. However, she found hope in Bruce’s surviving daughter, Meghan Stewart. Initially, her attempts to reach Meghan through Facebook went unanswered until she discovered they shared a mutual friend. This connection facilitated their communication.

Rivera shared her findings with Meghan, who was not aware of much of her grandfather’s military history. The how and why of the coat ending up in a thrift store remain unknown, though Rivera suspects it may have been part of an estate sale after Gilbert’s passing.

After decades lost, the coat found its way back to the family. Rivera arranged to meet Meghan and return the coat. During their meeting, the emotional impact was evident. Rivera empathized with Meghan, reflecting on her own grandfather and the connection objects can provide to loved ones.

Rivera viewed this endeavor as a way to connect people to their history. “I got to bring someone a piece of their family back,” she remarked, expressing satisfaction in knowing the coat returned to its rightful place after more than twenty years.