An upstate New York man dropped his wife at the clinic for her appointment. He never expected that she would not be there when he went to pick her up. Exactly what happened to her? Where did she go?
Nowhere In Sight
As promised, he returned to pick her up. However, she was not there. What could have happened to her? For the longest time, no one had a clue. It was only 42 years later that the case was closed at last.
Nowhere In Sight
Nothing More Than A Cold
He took her to the clinic for her appointment. Until she went missing, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was not like he was gone for a long time either. He came back for her only an hour later.
Nothing More Than A Cold
Florence Stevens
The missing woman was called Florence “Flora” Stevens. Her husband last saw her on August 3, 1975. This woman was 36 years old and full of life and adventure. Why did she vanish all of a sudden that day?
Florence Stevens
A Resort In The Catskills
She had been working at the Catskill Mountains in the summer of 1975. The resort complex was called The Concord. The place had 1,200 rooms and was known among the tourists who went to the area.
A Resort In The Catskills
Educated
The job application that the detectives saw revealed that she graduated from Lincoln High School in New York. They had limited information on Flora, but they did learn that she was married to Robert Stevens.
Educated
Opening The Case
No one knew where she could have gone. An investigation went on, and many people volunteered to go and look for her. Everyone was shocked by her disappearance. Where could this nice lady have gone?
Opening The Case
The End Of The Road
They did not have enough clues to get a lead. Florence had no living relatives that they knew of, so it was hard to figure out where this woman was born and raised. This seemed to be the end of the road for them.
The End Of The Road
No One Could Have Known
Unfortunately, the case went cold as they did not have the slightest idea about where she went. Back then, they had no idea that it was going to take a long, long time before they solved the case.
No One Could Have Known
Senior Investigator Yan Salomon
It was in 2017 that Yan Salomon, a Senior Investigator at the New York State Police, learned something that would help answer several important questions in the case. He had not yet heard of it back then.
Senior Investigator Yan Salomon
Looming Questions
Just how exactly did his findings help solve the disappearance of Florence “Flora” Stevens? Later, you will find out where she ended up. We are sure you have a lot of questions, so read on!
Looming Questions
Skeletal Remains
Yan Salomon did not come bearing good news, however. While he did find a woman, she was not alive. No, he only discovered skeletal remains. Now, he needed a lot of help to identify who it belonged to.
Skeletal Remains
Make Some Calls
The next thing he had to do was to get his phone and make a few calls. He got in touch with the sheriff’s office at Sullivan County and spoke to a detective. He reported the remains he found in the Catskills.
Make Some Calls
Too Hard
Did you know that approximately 70,000 female adults go missing each year in the United States? It was difficult for him to solve the case by himself. Luckily, he had a great idea in mind. What was it?
Too Hard
Information At Their Disposal
He learned that the active cases of missing women in the United States stood at 21,894 as of January 2016. They stored the records in storage, so he had access to a lot of information about them.
Information At Their Disposal
Looking For Her
Salomon knew that this was going to be challenging. This is the reason he created a team to look into these open cases and then compare them to what they know about the body. Was it going to work?
Looking For Her
Welcome To Sullivan County
It was a pretty long shot, but he went to Sullivan County to conduct research of his own. He hoped to make things easier by conducting local searches. Ideally, this would help them identify the woman.
Welcome To Sullivan County
An Open Case
Using his skills, he was able to determine that she was from this area. He hoped to get more answers to his questions. It was then that he stumbled upon an open Sullivan County case from a while back.
An Open Case
Looking For Answers
Could this be the answer to his questions? He asked the detectives from the local station for more information about this woman. He hoped to find living relatives but found out that she did not have any.
Looking For Answers
It All Came Together
The file on this missing woman was an old one. After all, it was opened in 1975. On top of this, it did not give him much of a lead. However, something clicked. He knew he was onto something here.
It All Came Together
New Information
He would let the detectives of Sullivan County handle the case. It got assigned to Det. Rich Morgan. His main task had been to look for a connection between these cases. He was able to learn something new!
New Information
Connecting The Dots
They found her work ID. It revealed that she was an employee at a resort in the Catskill Mountains. It was the same area where they found the bodily remains of the woman they saw.
Connecting The Dots
Fascinating News
In 1975, Florence “Flora” Stevens vanished. They would dig up an incredible thing about this woman who went missing a long time ago! What could it be? Hold on tight because this will probably shock you.
Fascinating News
The Missing Woman
Det. Morgan was able to solve this possible. What was it that he found out about the cold case from a long time ago? He uncovered this secret when he started to look deeper into the case of Flora Stevens.
The Missing Woman
Looked Far And Wide
Upon her disappearance, her husband looked far and wide for her. He took her to the clinic and promised her that he would return for her afterward. When he got there, she was nowhere in sight.
Looked Far And Wide
Another Dead End
The investigation was opened not long after it happened. Sadly, they did not find out a lot more about the case. Her husband also died one decade after the disappearance. There were many dead ends.
Another Dead End
How Would He Do It?
Det. Morgan was aware that it was not going to be all that easy. After all, there were no relatives he could speak to. How was he going to prove that Yan Salomon was right about his hunch?
How Would He Do It?
Her Social Security Number
He had been going through a bunch of databases when he found something that turned the whole case around. He saw that there was someone out there using the social security number of Flora Stevens!
Her Social Security Number
250 Miles From There
This detective was able to track down this number. He saw that it was used north of Boston, but was shocked to see that the active account was at an assisted living facility in the area.
250 Miles From There
A Different Last Name
He called the place, of course. The staff told him that it did belong to someone called Flora. However, they said that her last name was not Stevens. She was Flora Harris and had been there since 2001.
A Different Last Name
Identity Fraud
Together with another investigator, the detective paid the facility a visit. Neither of them could believe what they just found out. It had been a cold case for a long time! It did not align with their expectations.
Identity Fraud
Possible Identity Theft
Here was what he said when he talked to CBS Boston: “Same first name, different last name, but same birth date and social security.” They knew that they had to speak to this person. Who could it be?
Possible Identity Theft
Just Her Photograph
They made sure to bring the sole photo of Flora that they had in the database. It came from the work ID that was in her case file. They drove all the way to the facility and introduced themselves to Flora.
Just Her Photograph
Found Her
How she reacted shocked them. She grabbed the photo and pointed at it. Det. Morgan said, “She says that’s me, or me, she responded with one word, me.” When they showed a photo of her husband, she said, “Robert.” They knew that she was the real deal.
Found Her
She Couldn’t Remember
Sadly, there was no way for them to find out everything there was to know about the disappearance. She had dementia, so it was hard for her to talk about anything from the 42 years that passed.
She Couldn’t Remember
An Abusive Husband
Det. Morgan explained, “We really don’t know the circumstances of why or how she disappeared. She had psychiatric problems leading up to that point”. Her caregiver Mbuva, however, revealed that she had a horrible marriage and an abusive husband in the past.
An Abusive Husband
Maybe She Ran
Many think that she hopped on a bus and then skipped town because of this. Det. Morgan has also said, “Most of the secrets are locked inside of Flora, and I don’t think we’ll ever get them.”
Maybe She Ran
She Didn’t Want To Be Found
Festus Mbuva even said, “To be honest, I don’t think she ever really wanted to be found. You can tell something happened in her past that she didn’t want any part of.” He has known her for 10 years now.
She Didn’t Want To Be Found
She’s Safe
They learned that she grew up in Yonkers and said ‘none of your business’ often. Eric Chaboty of Sullivan County said, “It’s a neat feeling [to find someone]. The main thing is we know that Flora is safe.”
She’s Safe
Solved But Unsolved
Sullivan County finally closed the case on this one after verifying that she was indeed Flora Stevens. Sheriff Mike Schiff said, “It is not too often that you get to solve a 42-year-old missing person case.”
Solved But Unsolved
A Smile And Wave
It took them 42 long years, but they finally found out the fate of Flora Stevens. Sadly, they were unable to answer all the questions we had. In the end, they left the 78-year-old woman in the facility. They were able to find her, but let us see if childhood lovers Matt and Laura would find each other again…
A Smile And Wave
From A Young Age
Nearly 25 years ago, Matt and Laura first met at a preschool in Phoenix, Arizona. When they were three years old, they met on the playground and became quick friends. The two soon became inseparable.
From A Young Age
The Early Days
In an interview with Today, Matt said, “I don’t remember the first time I saw her, but she was always a girl who let me follow her around.” It would soon develop into a deep friendship.
The Early Days
Safety Buddies
They first became close when they went on a school trip. Every child there was asked to pair up with a “safety buddy.” They picked each other and stayed attached at the hip until the end of the trip.
Safety Buddies
Silly Matt
Laura saw Matt for the warm and kind-hearted boy that he was and wanted to be his pal. Before they knew it, they became best friends and did just about everything together. Isn’t that sweet?
Silly Matt
Not Just At Preschool
They had a lot of time together at preschool, but it was not enough for them. Their parents later learned about this close friendship and then set up playdates for the kids. They even saw movies together!
Not Just At Preschool
Protecting Laura
When they went to the movies together, Matt was able to show her that he cared for her a lot. He held her hand during the scary parts of the movie. That might be the purest thing we have ever heard!
Protecting Laura
Impressing Laura
Matt was a big fan of the Disney movie The Lion King. Instead of bragging about his dad or mom, he liked to recite quotes from the movie to impress his best pal. Let us find out if it worked.
Impressing Laura
The Teacher
Laura was impressed with his Lion King recital skills. However, he was even more impressed by her. She taught him how to use the swings, draw hills, eat string cheese currently. He was so lucky to have her!
The Teacher
Winning Her Over
The school had a Cinco De Mayo celebration, and he impressed her when he hit the pinata that no one else could. He said, “Fortunately, I was the kid who managed to do it and I assume it got her attention.”
Winning Her Over
Young Love
By the time they were four years old, they were already “love birds.” Matt was still a very young boy at the time, but he did not want to keep his feelings for her a secret!
Young Love
Declaring His Love
Matt decided to let all of their classmates know that he was going to marry her in the future. They all thought he was very amusing. He made sure to tell them, “Just you wait!”
Declaring His Love
Birthday Parties
They remained close and enjoyed the company of one another. They would visit each other at home and went on a lot of adventures together. However, were things going to stay the same in kindergarten?
Birthday Parties
Fearing The Future
There were a lot of things they had to worry about. Were they going to be in the same class? The idea of getting separated sounded like a nightmare. However, things would be even worse than just that.
Fearing The Future
Different Schools
In the end, they did not even go to the same school! It was not up to their parents, however. It all depended on the region they lived in. Their parents did promise them regular playdates.
Different Schools
Shaky Promises
Like they were promised, their parents took them to see each other on the weekends. They had a lot of things to talk about. They had new friends and went to different schools, after all.
Shaky Promises
Drifting Apart
The visits would dwindle down soon enough. They were growing up and getting busy, so they saw each other less often. This photo shows them on Christmas. Soon enough, they would hardly see each other.
Drifting Apart
Just Christmas
Time went on, and their only contact would be the Christmas cards they got each other. They played together a lot, but they hardly got in touch now. They made a lot of other friends as they got older.
Just Christmas
Growing Up
The years passed by, and the Christmas cards would stop coming. No one is at fault here. They were just getting older and growing apart. They had a nice childhood together, but those days were over.
Growing Up
High School
High school is a long way away from preschool. We are not surprised that they no longer occupied each other’s thoughts that much. One day, something happened that changed everything for the two of them.
High School
An Accident
When they were in freshman year of high school, Laura had been going through the phone of a friend. It was then that her eyes landed on one name that was oh so familiar to her.
An Accident
Heartwarming Memories
She saw the name, “Matt Grodsky.” What was the name of her old best friend doing on her friend’s phone? All their memories from childhood suddenly flashed right before her eyes, and she went pale.
Heartwarming Memories
A Different Plan
Laura then caught her breath and explained to this friend that she knew Matt from preschool. Her friend then told her that he was a friend from middle school. She decided to help them get back together!
A Different Plan
Setting Them Up
She was completely shocked to hear that this was the case. Laura was not sure about meeting up with him again. After all, it had been such a long time since they last saw each other.
Setting Them Up
Going Ahead
At the time, Laura was not sure that getting a boyfriend was a good idea. When she was interviewed by People, she said, “I was a freshman in high school so I was like, ‘I don’t think so!’”
Going Ahead
Matt’s Move
She gave Matt the number. He was compelled to text Laura, so he did. He could only hope that she was going to respond to him. When he finally replied, he could tell that this was the start of something good.
Matt’s Move
Seeing Her
The first thing that he noticed about her was her infectious smile. All of a sudden, he remembered just how much he liked that smile of hers. He said, “She always had a huge smile.”
Seeing Her
The First Date
Soon enough, they agreed on a date. They were going to the movies again, of course! For Matt, it was like falling in love at first sight once again. It was a relief that they got along so well after all this time.
The First Date
Like Old Times
The first official date they had ended on a brilliant note. They soon became boyfriend and girlfriend. They could drive now, so it was not hard for them to see each other. They also went to dances together!
Like Old Times
College Coming Up
College was going to make things difficult. They wanted to remain together, but they planned to attend schools in different states. “Right after we graduated from high school, we were pretty hesitant,” she told People. “We were like, ‘Do we stay together? Do we try to make it work?’”
College Coming Up
Long Distance
They did not want to make college hard for each other. Matt planned to enroll at Columbia College in Chicago. Laura, meanwhile, was set to go to Northern Arizona University. Can they make it work?
Long Distance
Staying In Touch
Regardless of how hard it was, they did not want to get separated once more. They made sure to talk to each other every single day on Facetime. They also visited one another as much as they possibly could.
Staying In Touch
6 Months
They were glad that social media was there to help them stay in touch. Still, they missed seeing each other. Once, they were separated for six long months! Matt knew it was time to change things.
6 Months
The Perfect Throwback
Senior year soon came for both of them. Matt planned out a unique date. He wanted to hold a picnic at the preschool they attended! It was going to be a surprise for her. How exciting was that?
The Perfect Throwback
A Secret Plan
“I convinced Laura that we were going to a picnic at the preschool. We had just finished up our junior year of college, so I framed it as a nice relaxing date,” he explained. What did he plan to do?
A Secret Plan
Back To Their Roots
Laura was thrilled when she heard that they were heading back to the preschool. It was such a personal and thoughtful idea. It was great that Matt came up with something this romantic and special.
Back To Their Roots
Matt’s Strange Behavior
On their way there, Matt was acting very fidgety. Laura chalked it up to excitement. After they got there, she noticed that he was still nervous. What gives? It made her feel a little nervous as well!
Matts Strange Behavior
The Big Move
It then hit her that this was no regular date. Matt went on his knee, presented her a ring, and said, “Will you marry me?” Laura said, “YES!” I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this happening?’ I saw the ring and was like, ‘This is gorgeous. I’m so happy with it.’ I had no idea!”
The Big Move
Worrying
Can you believe that Matt felt very worried that he was going to lose this ring? “I kept checking my pocket when she wasn’t looking to make sure the ring was still there,” he went on.
Worrying
Long Planning
Matt proposed to her on May 23, 2015. The truth was that he was planning the whole thing months before it could even happen. Aside from this, he also asked her father for his approval!
Long Planning
Going All Out
He went out and got the ring for Laura. After that, he asked his brother to record the special moment from the bushes. He wanted the entire moment to be caught on film, of course.
Going All Out
The Picnic Basket
Matt also used a picnic basket that his parents owned. It was not your regular basket since it was the one his dad used when he proposed to Matt’s mom! What a special detail this is.
The Picnic Basket
A Special Place
They were in the same place where he once announced his love for her. “I proposed to her at the place it all began… our preschool classroom,” Matt said when he spoke to the Huffington Post. “When you like someone, you just kind of stand up and say it.”
A Special Place
Tying The Knot
The day they got married finally came. It happened on December 30, 2016. We love the fact that their first dance was set to Elton John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” from Lion King!
Tying The Knot
True Soulmates
They held the wedding at the Arizona Historical Society. His uncle said, “For most kids in preschool, it’s about finding your snacks and your sleeping mats, but for them it was about finding their soulmates.”
True Soulmates
For Social Media
They were millennials, so it was only natural for them to go on and post about the wedding on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. However, the story reached further than their circles.
For Social Media
Laura’s Dad Speaks Out
At the wedding ceremony, her father talked about the way they adopted Laura from an orphanage they visited in India. He and her mother also had an amazing love story between the two of them!
Lauras Dad Speaks Out
Their Own Long Distance Relationship
His father did a tour of India and spent a year over there. At the time, he was in a relationship with the woman who would go on to be Laura’s mother. She later found work at the American embassy there.
Their Own Long Distance Relationship
Visiting The Orphanage
They would get married sometime in the future. Her mother informed him about this orphanage with a lot of kids in need. They decided to look at the kids there. Everyone was intrigued as he told the story.
Visiting The Orphanage
Adopting Laura
While there were lots of kids in the rooms there, they went to the one with the babies. They then saw her. At the time, Laura had many tubes and drips in her body because she had double-pneumonia.
Adopting Laura
Not Leaving Without Her
Her parents were completely set on adopting her. However, the agency had a policy on which babies would get adopted and by whom. However, the couple did not want to take no for an answer.
Not Leaving Without Her
A Different Place
Her dad knew that it would be better to try a different strategy. It was risky, but it did pay off. He was also working at the embassy back then, so he tried ‘bribing’ the officials with products from the states.
A Different Place
Back To Now
If that did not happen, there was no way that Laura and Matt would have ever gotten together. His uncle also said, “Love is not one moment, not even this moment – it’s every moment.”
Back To Now
Dancing For Love
“Our favorite part of the wedding was the dancing and having everyone we love there to celebrate with us,” the couple said about their wedding. “We tore it up on the dance floor and it was great being surrounded by everyone who played a part in bringing us together.”
Dancing For Love
Honeymoon Time
After their dream wedding, they flew off to Maui for their honeymoon. They had a love story that was just like a fairytale! However, this was not yet the end of the story for Matt and Laura.
Honeymoon Time
The Way We Met
She hoped to share their incredible story with everyone, so Laura gave an old and recent photo of them to “The Way We Met.” It shares great stories of couples. Unsurprisingly, theirs became a big hit!
The Way We Met
A Big Hit
They had a unique story, sure, but it was a surprise that people liked it so much. Matt even told everyone, “I was enamored with Laura as a child, and I still am to this day.” Aww
A Big Hit
Inspiring Others
The story did not only reach “a few people.” No, it actually god nearly 1,000 comments and 30,000 likes. The post would soon get 400,000 reactions. Many media outlets got in touch with them about it too.
Inspiring Others
Social Media’s Feelings
We know that it sounds like something you would see in movies. Mind you, this is real life. They were not the only ones who had stories like this. However, many lost touch with their childhood sweethearts.
Social Media’s Feelings
More Than They Thought
Their influence did not only reach simple nostalgia. Many interracial couples saw their story and felt inspired by it. They even came forward to tell the couple that it helped them stay strong and resilient.
More Than They Thought
Tyrese Gibson
Can you believe that even Tyrese Gibson heard about them? He was so touched by the story that he wanted to do something about it. In the end, he decided to reach out to Laura and Matt.
Tyrese Gibson
Treating The Couple
The actor has always called himself a sucker for romance stories. Theirs might just be the best one he ever heard! He told Laura and Matt this and offered them a 3-day Florida vacation. How nice!
Treating The Couple
The Grodskys’ Future
Laura and Matt do not only live in the same city but also live in the same room. It has been two years since their wedding. Matt is an account executive at a digital marketing agency, while Laura is working for a non-profit organization on children in foster care. They bought a house fairly recently.
The Grodskys Future
Becoming Parents
It did not take them long before they decided to start a new chapter of life. They have since become parents! Kind of. They got a puppy that they called Kirby. Do they want kids of their own?
Becoming Parents
Real Parents
People asked them the pressing question. Here was the answer they gave: “We would love to have kids at some point. Right now we are focused on our new puppy Kirby and our new house.”
Real Parents
What A Journey
Laura and Matt had a great love story. They fell in love, got separated, and found each other once again. “The best thing about our relationship is we are just silly and we appreciate each other every day,” they explained. “Having gone through a long distance relationship, you learn really quick how much the other person means to you and we value our time.”
What A Journey
The Best In Each-Other
“My favorite thing about Matt is his humor, he always makes me happy and he is the most driven person I know,” Laura said, “He is always moving forward.” Meanwhile, Matt said, “My favorite thing about Laura is her infectious smile and her desire to help those who are less fortunate. She is a force for good and it’s inspiring to be around her every day.”
The Best In Each Other
The Moment They’d Been Waiting For
Sometimes, they still could not believe that their love story truly happened. Not once did they lose their soft spot for each other. It was special for them to tie the knot, but this was not all.
The Moment They’d Been Waiting For
A Wedding To Look Back On
A lot of brides throw the bouquet. Traditions say that the woman to catch it would be the next to get married. It is not uncommon to fight over it. Luckily, everyone was in good spirits on that day.
A Wedding To Look Back On
Celebrating Their Love
For the two of them, every day is worth celebrating. They have gotten married and plan to start a family in the future. However, there was more to it than that. It sounds like they are truly soulmates.
Celebrating Their Love
One Small Step
It is only the start for the young couple. This chapter of their life has gotten off on the right foot. We are sure they will achieve a lot by each other’s side. We cannot imagine it going any other way for them!
One Small Step