A Rockland woman’s urn that was found last week in a trash pile has now been reunited with her family after a twist of fate and the help of a community Facebook group.
Sarah Grace Long, from Otisville, found the urn April 11 when she stopped to rummage through a trash pile outside of a house in Sloatsburg on Route 17.
“I was walking up to the pile, and you could kid of see the decoration on the vase under some of the rubble," said Long.
Long was on her way home to Otisville from New York City when she and a friend decided to stop.
“I thought it was just a vase. I picked it up, and it weighed like a brick," said Long. "I spun it around, and I saw the Mass card and was like this is somebody’s remains.”
Long checked with a neighbor and found out the person who had the urn was just evicted. She did a Google search of the name on the Mass card and found out it held the remains of Kathleen Enea, who died in 2008 and was from Stony Point.
Long took the urn home and turned to the Rockland Community Group on Facebook to try to find the woman’s family.
"It was upsetting. I wasn't leaving that there at all. I wouldn't want my mom or my grandma on the curb," said Long.
Within hours, she was connected with Enea’s grandson, Daniel Gavrity, who lives in Staten Island and had no idea his grandmother’s remains were misplaced.
"I had no idea where this place was or that it existed," said Gavrity.
Gavrity says his dad had the urn but that he died three years ago and believed a friend living at the house in Sloatsburg had it.
His grandmother died when he was 9 years old.
“She loved the hell out of me," he said.
Long and Gavrity met last Thursda. Enea’s remains are now with him.
"I'm grateful that he has his grandmother back, has some peace and can heal," said Long.
Both say the reunion was a twist of fate.
"I do know that there are good people in this world," said Gavrity.
Enea's grandson says he believes other labeled items that belonged to his dad, Daniel Gavrity Sr., and his grandmother may be lost and is asking anyone who finds them to reach out by email at daniel.gavrity88@gmail.com.