A metal detectorist has broken the hearts of dozens of Reddit users after sharing the “profoundly sad” discovery he made on a treasure-hunting trip to the beach.
The man thought he would be heading home with a special trinket only to learn his metal detector had seemingly unearthed a jar containing the cremated remains of a 12-year-old boy.
Sharing his story on the forum social network, the treasure hunter said he had been scouring the Oregon, US beach when the detector picked up on something buried in the sand.
He uncovered a metal-top jar six inches below ground. The mysterious trinket came with a note.
The beachcomber initially thought the note might be related to geocaching, an outdoor recreational activity akin to hide and seek in which participants use their phones or GPS receivers to locate hidden containers.
However, he soon realised that wasn’t the case after opening the note and reading the heartbreaking message.
The note, believed to be over a decade old, read: “This is the ashes of my son, Steven Genberg.
“If found, please be respectful and put them back. Thank you, a grieving mother.”
The note also contained Steven’s presumed birthday and death date, which showed the boy was supposedly just a few weeks off his 13th birthday at the time he passed.
The metal detectorist confirmed he had respected the mother’s wishes and placed the jar back where it was originally placed.
The story sparked a wave of sadness among Reddit users, with one writing: “This is profoundly said.”
Another added: “Losing a child is literally the worst experience in human existence.”
Some users even scoured the Internet for information about who Steven might have been.
They suggested he might have been a young man killed in a head-on collision with a police car in British Columbia in July 2011.
However, the Steven Gerber killed in the car crash was a 19-year-old reportedly expecting a child with his girlfriend at the time of his death.
Asked how the ashes had not been found before, the treasure hunter said: “The lid was painted metal with a plastic liner on the threads so it was easy to open with no corrosion.
“I’m guessing the mother didn’t think about us when she chose that container but then again she did leave a note.”
