Fishing boy reels in 25-year-old purse with contents intact

ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. -- When April Deanhardt was 32 years old, her purse was stolen out of a boat. Now, 25 years later, she's just had it returned.

That's because an 11-year-old reeled her purse, contents intact, out of a lake while he was fishing last week.

"It's quite humorous," Deanhardt's daughter, Abby Bolt, told WYFF, "considering the wallet, perfume, lipsticks, numerous credit cards from stores that were open 25 years ago, family pictures, 52 cents in change, a check book, a teasing comb, etc. -- it's a serious time capsule!"

The young fisherman was in a cove on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina on July 4 when he thought he caught a big fish. After he reeled it in, he discovered it was a purse.

It just so happened that one of the others on the fishing trip recognized the identification. It had the maiden name of an old family friend, so they reached out to return it.

Deanhardt told ABC News she was shocked when she was contacted about her long-lost purse. She said the lipstick is well-preserved, and the pen still works.