WHEN Peter Bilello took his granddaughter to Subway, he found something he thought was lost forever. And for a moment, it felt like he had his wife back.
The 86-year-old Italian immigrant lives alone in Hartford, Connecticut, after the death of his wife Grace from cancer in November.
Seven years ago, in 2009, Mr Bilello came up with a completely random romantic thought: The two of them would each sign a $1 note and he would keep the notes in his wallet forever.
“I don’t know why that happened to come into my mind,” he told WTNH. “And I said, this dollar is going to be in my wallet forever.”
The note at the centre of a modern-day romantic tale. Source: Supplied
Perhaps the idea came from an innate fear that Grace would not be around for much longer.
In 2001, she was diagnosed with cancer, she had an operation, chemotherapy and radiation, only to have the cancer return three years later.
About a year after signing the notes, he accidentally spent them shopping.
“I don’t know where I used the two dollars. I came home and told my wife … ‘Grace, I made a big mistake today. … I’m never going to see (the dollars again),’” he complained to her.
Peter is happy to have the note back. Source: WTNH.Source: Supplied
After Grace’s death, Mr Bilello cherished his many memories and photos of the woman he married half a century ago — after knowing her for just 40 days. But the dollar note, it seemed, was lost forever.
Then a few weeks ago, Mr Bilello took his granddaughter Ashley out for a sandwich. He handed her a $10 note and she returned with his change, three $1 bills.
To his utter astonishment, one of them had his wife’s signature, “Grace B”, on it.
“I said, ‘Oh my god, Ashley, look.’ We started to cry,” Mr Bilello said. “We were so happy to get the dollar back. I never thought I’d get that dollar back.”
“It’s a miracle to get it back after five years,” he said. “Who knows how many million people got that dollar in their hands.”
At first his granddaughter was sceptical of its authenticity, but when the pair returned home, she matched it up against old letters and believes it to be true.
As for Mr Bilello, he credits one person for the incredibly unlikely return of the note: Grace herself.
And for the second time in his life, he has vowed to hold onto the currency for good. “Nobody’s gonna get that dollar anymore,” he said.
The pair married 51 years ago. Source: Supplied
Source…www.news.com.au
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