A hand-carved maplewood cane belonging to 90-year-old California veteran Jim Pryce has been returned to him after disappearing from a Costco store.
Pryce's daughter, Kim Manriquez, initiated a community search after the cane went missing several weeks ago. She posted a plea on social media hoping for its safe return, explaining the sentimental value of the item, which was crafted by a fellow retired officer.
Pryce, a veteran of the Air Force and a retired police lieutenant with 35 years of service, had left the cane in a shopping cart while an employee assisted him with loading water into his car. He realized it was gone later but could not locate it during subsequent trips to the store.
The cane held significant personal meaning for Pryce. It was adorned with several items, including a small police badge, motorcycle wings, an American flag pin representing his Honor Flight service, and an Air Force emblem.
Local news outlets picked up the story, which helped amplify the search. Following the media attention, an employee at the Gibson Farm Market on the campus of California State University, Fresno, discovered the cane. The employee contacted the police, leading to its recovery.
Manriquez expressed her gratitude to the community for their support. "I want to thank everyone for the shares, comments and help regarding my dad’s cane," she stated in a social media message. "It really warmed our hearts that there were so many people concerned and reached out."
Despite his age, Pryce remains active in his community, serving as a docent at the Veterans Memorial Museum in downtown Fresno.