A Man’s Discovery In His Elderly Family Member’s House Was Surprising
In 2016, a relative of a man suffering from Alzheimer's decided that it was time to move his elderly relative into an assisted living home. While moving him out, he was reminded that his relative owned a cat that needed to be moved out of the house too. However, when he came back to get the cat, he made a discovery that left him surprised and asking more questions.
Stepping In To Help A Family Member
In 2016, when an 82-year-old man from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania could no longer take care of himself, his distant relative, Paul Russel stepped in to help.
Russel took it upon himself to help his struggling relative move into an assisted living facility near his previous home. That also meant packing all of his belongings that had resided in the house for years. Russel didn't know much about his relative and knew even less about the home.
It Was The Right Decision
Of course, the decision by Russel was not an easy one. Taking a relative away from their home and a sense of independence is hard for anyone to do. However, at that point, the man needed to be cared for around the clock and Russel figured this would be the best for everyone.
He especially didn't want to let him live alone anymore as his memory worsened and his relative didn't recognize anyone.
The Elderly Man Didn't Tell Him Much
Russel was able to bring his relative to assisted living and make sure that he was comfortable. When asked what needed to be taken care of, back at the house, his relative didn't mention anything beyond packing things up and making sure they're stored safely.
As Russel left the assisted living complex, he remembered that his relative owned a cat. He recalled that it was a Siamese cat named Siam.
Siam Was There
Russel returned to his relative's house and was able to locate the Siamese cat, Siam, without much trouble. He looked healthy and calm, Russel believed it wouldn't be difficult to take him from the house to make sure that he's cared for.
He began trying to coax the cat to come over to him. As he was getting ready to drive home, someone mentioned that his relative might have a second cat, as well.
Was There A Second Cat?
Russel began looking for the second cat. Siam looked okay and comfortable being by himself for a little while. While looking for the supposed second cat, a large object darted from under a bed, across the house, and down into the cellar.
Assuming that it was the second cat, he noticed that it looked like it had a blanket draped over it. Russel looked down into the cellar, calling for the cat, but didn't have any luck. He decided to come back the next day with a flashlight and more food to investigate.
Investigating The Cellar
The next day when Russel returned, he came prepared with more food and a flashlight. He described the experience as something out of a horror scene.
He was going down into a basement with nothing but a flashlight, looking for something he wasn't sure what it really was. On top of that, with his relative's memory fading, he had no clue what else could be waiting for him down the staircase.
The Cat Was In Terrible Shape
Russel told People Magazine "I went down into the creepy old cellar and it was hunkered in a corner." He couldn't believe his eyes that what he was staring at was indeed a cat.
He said that the poor thing looked scared and in terrible pain. What Russel had found was indeed his elderly relative's second cat. Unfortunately, it couldn't move properly, but Russel could see that it was indeed a female Calico cat.
The Cat Was In Unbelievable Condition
What he thought was a blanket draped over the cat was actually years worth of the cat's own hair! The cat was also overweight which didn't help with its mobility.
To make things worse, the cat's hair had become matted and tangled into dreadlocks that were over eight inches long. Even worse, the matted and tangled fur was covered with the cat's own waste. It was a terrible sight and Russel felt awful for the cat.
What To Do Now?
Russel named the newfound cat Hidey because she was constantly hiding under the bed and other places around the house. She was clearly traumatized, uncomfortable, and in a lot of pain.
Since Russel and his wife Jill are both animal lovers, they spent a lot of time trying to coax Siam and Hidey out of the house in order to take Hidey to a vet. They knew she needed help right away.
The Cats Finally Saw A Vet
Once Hidey realized that she wasn't in any immediate danger, she began to trust Russel and Jill until they finally were able to pick her up ad take her to the Animal Rescue League & Wildlife Shelter in Pittsburgh.
Aside from Hidey's condition, both cats were old, at 17-years. Both Siam and Hidey were in dire need of a checkup. On top of that, Hidey's situation proved to be life-threatening.
Hidey Had An Unusual Condition
Unsurprisingly, the veterinarian team was in shock when they first saw Hidey. They were so baffled by her dreadlocks that they even had to go online in order to look up what kind of condition she might be suffering from. Unfortunately, after extensive research, they still couldn't find an answer.
Although they couldn't find what exactly was wrong with her, they knew they needed to do something to help her immediately. They needed to remove the hair to relieve her from their pain, but they also didn't want to hurt her in the process.
They Shaved It Off
Finally, they came up with what they believed to be the best solution to their problem. They decided to shave it off. So, in order to calm Hidey and alleviate her pain, they put her under general anesthesia so that the vet team could go to work. In the end, it took hours to shave off all of the cat's excess hair.
In total, Hidey had been carrying around an extra two pounds of hair this whole time which was stretching and pulling on her skin underneath. She was also overweight and looked to be in bad condition compared to Siam.
Hidey Couldn't Groom Herself
At first, the vets believed that Hidey had some sort of condition that caused her fur to grow the way it did. However, they later concluded that it was Hidey's weight that was the source of the problem. Cats groom themselves frequently throughout the day, however, if a cat is overweight, this becomes harder for them to do.
The hair that had become stuck in Hidey's fur had nowhere else to go since she couldn't groom it off of herself. So, it began to grow and clump together so bad that there was nothing that Hidey could ever do to stop it.
She Was Neglected For Years
When it comes to long-haired cats like Calicos, not only are they supposed to clean themselves, but their owners are also supposed to help out and brush them regularly because of their extra hair. Since Hidey's owner could hardly take care of himself, it is likely that he wasn't up for the task of taking care of Hidey either.
In the years that Hidey's elderly owner suffered with Alzheimer's, Hidey's hair growth became out of control and she became trapped beneath her own fur with no chance of escape. What was once a healthy cat had become skittish and miserable because of neglect.
Adopted By The Russels
After both cats had been treated and vaccinated, the Russels decided to give both cats a new chance at life. The couple adopted the two cats into their home in Churchill, Pennsylvania where they would become members of the family along with their other three cats and two dogs.
Of course, the transition wasn't all that smooth for Hidey. Not only did she have to learn to live with two human owners and all of the other animals, she also had to learn to live without all of her old excess fur. Over time, she slowly became more comfortable, however, she was still traumatized from her past.
A Full Transformation
Initially, Hidey was incredibly afraid and skittish. So much, that she would shutter and shake whenever anyone even came near her. Thankfully, over time, Hidey began to come around after becoming familiar with her new surroundings and fellow pets. After the Russels earned her trust, it was smooth sailing from there.
Although the process was slow and arduous, Jill had faith that eventually Hidey would become comfortable enough to play with the other animals. She knew that not only would this help with her social issues but would also help her get back into shape.
A New Hidey
Although at first, Hidey was timid and liked to hide under the bed at the Russels, they knew she needed to learn affection. So, they began taking her out in the open and holding her on their lap. Eventually, she began coming out from under the bed herself for attention. She even started purring showing that she was enjoying her new home.
She even got her own special cat bed and has now come into her own. Today, she loves playing with her other friends in the house and even enjoys the company of people who come to visit her on her cat bed.
Blaming The Owner
Almost immediately after the shelter posted Hidey's story online, the story was told in magazines, newspapers and television stations everywhere. It was shocking to everybody and people were outraged for a variety of different reasons and weren't afraid to express their opinions.
Initially, people were in disbelief that anyone could let an animal become in such a state. Several people immediately put the blame on the owner without realizing that the man had been suffering from Alzheimer's. others, however, were outraged for entirely different reasons.
People Claimed Elderly Neglect
Other people that took the time to read deeper into the story came to understand that it wasn't necessarily the owner's fault for the condition that Hidey was in. It then became an issue of elderly neglect and not animal neglect. People began to point out that the elderly man should have been checked up on more for his own safety if not for the animals.
People began to wonder if this is what the animals looked like, then what did the man look like? Someone was bound to notice Hidey at least once if people had come to visit more frequently than they apparently did.
Claiming The Photos Were Fake
Some people didn't blame the owner or cry elderly neglect. They were so astonished by the photos and stories that they claimed the entire thing was a hoax altogether. Not only could they not wrap their heads around that kind of neglect, they also refused to believed that a cat would just stop grooming itself.
While one comment demonstrated a woman's firm beliefs that the photo was fake, she was quickly corrected. Animal rescue organizations from all over explained that was happened to Hidey is entirely possible and that she was lucky to be found when she was.
People Didn't Believe A Cat Would Stop Grooming Itself
While most of us that have cats rarely have to groom them ourselves, some people couldn't believe that Hidey would just stop grooming herself. What they failed to understand is that in certain situations, especially when their health is affected, cats will stop doing so.
While Hidey's case may be rare, it is possible for it to happen to other cats and most likely has. Thankfully, most cat owners are likely to catch something like this before it ever happens to their cat. The main reason that it happened to Hidey was because her situation was the perfect storm for something like that to happen.
The Animal Shelter Makes An Announcement
On December 16, 2016, just one day after Hidey had been brought into the animal shelter, the team made a public announcement. Staff members of the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center posted on Facebook in order to create awareness about forgotten elderly citizens and their pets.
The post read "Please remember to not only check on the elderly in your community, but also check on their animals to prevent instances like this from happening in the future." The vets knew that Hidey was going to be okay but felt it was important to remind people so that this doesn't happen again.
Pets Actually Help The Elderly
A multitude of research has proven that pets help to relieve the stress that some elderly experience, especially when they are plagued with an illness. They help to reduce blood pressure, keep the owner active, and help with social interaction. Animals are an easy way for the elderly to take their mind off of things which is greatly beneficial to mental and physical health.
Pets can also help with long-term memory which is very helpful for people with Alzheimer's. It's different than remembering a person and they don't ask for anything except love and attention. However, it's essential that the only time an elderly person has a pet is if they're being looked after or if they're aware enough to safely own one.
A Lesson Was Learned
Although it was unfortunate that it happened to Hidey, the Calico cat has become the symbol for the importance of checking up on the elderly and their animals. Since her rescue, Pennsylvania's Animal Rescue League & Shelter Wildlife Center started a fund to support animals that can no longer be cared for by their senior citizen owners.
Through the program, the goal is to find loving and caring home for all animals whose elderly owners can no longer care for them or have passed away. This way, people know that senior citizens and their pets are both being looked out for.
Meet Mr. And Mrs. Kapsidis
Megan and Bobby Kapsidis are Arizona natives who bought a Florida home together in 2009. The couple remains in Sierra Vista, Arizona, while Bobby's mother lives in the Florida home. A few years after purchasing the home, they decided it was time to do some remodeling.
The couple flew across the country on vacation in order to fix up the kitchen. Bobby is a handyman and figured he could handle the job on his own.
Let The Demolition Begin
When Bobby first began the demolition, he started by beating at a small overhead space. The protrusion didn't seem to serve much a purpose and was an easy launching pad since it was out of the way of the kitchen's functioning spaces.
Once the out layer came down, the inside looked like you'd expect of drywall. Without any reason to stop, Bobby continued hacking at the thing until he made a little more headway.
`Bobby Made Headway, Literally
Finally, a considerable piece came loose. The entire outer layer fell apart, and Bobby was beginning to be able to see inside the strange ceiling protrusion. Though it still wasn't obvious what, if anything, the space was intended for, the answer hit Bobby in the face.
It turns out the space wasn't useless after all. Things were stored up there, and one of those things fell down and hit Bobby's face. He and wife Megan rushed to observe the mystery item.
What Is This Thing?
The space above the ceiling, as is the case with most empty space behind walls, was full of pink, fluffy fiberglass insulation. Megan thought that perhaps the area used to be a crawl space that was used for storage. But if that was the case, it had since been packed with insulation and was no longer intended for storage.
Bobby cleared out the insulation material from what seemed to be a strange bag, while Megan continued recording what was happening.
It Was Definitely Vintage
An empty alligator purse from Cuba was discovered. The couple assumed it might be of value. The rare purse was certainly unusual by today's standards. Wearing animal skin has become less popular as animal rights activists have pushed to end animal cruelty.
The alligator purse would likely be looked down upon in modern America, even if it was a fake. The owner more than likely would have been older, presumably leaving it there decades ago.
Is This Thing Real?
The couple discovered that the purse was in fact made out of a real baby alligator. Its skin was spread across the bag, and its head, arms, and feet remain intact along the front and back.
The rare bag would likely be of value, especially considering how carefully crafted and well preserved it is. However, what they found next was priceless. Bobby continued wacking at the ceiling to see what else might be in there.
They Found Something Else In There
Megan told reporters that Bobby decided to tear the ceiling down at eight o'clock in the evening, and sure enough, everything came crashing down. Insulations and items fell like rain all over the kitchen. Amongst the mess was a treasure that melted Megan's heart.
First, a stained, dusty note fell out that seemed to be some sort of invitation. Next, a large book fell down. But it wasn't a usual book, it was a photo album.
Megan Takes To Social Media
As they began flipping through the album, they discovered it was a record of a 1963 wedding. The vintage momento seemed like too much of a treasure not to return.
Megan had already been posting to Facebook in regards to the demolition, and then to the mysterious items. Now, she sought to expose the findings in an effort to find the owner who left the items in the ceiling. She figured such intimate photographs must have been missed.
The Note Explained Everything
The note that had been found was, in fact, an invitation. The paper was addressed to wedding guests by Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Lau, on behalf of their daughter, Marguerite. It was a wedding invitation for a ceremony to be held at St. Thomas Apostle R.C. Church in New York.
Addressing the couple by the father's first and last name is one indication of how old-timey the writing is. Another is the fact that the parents of the bride did the inviting, rather than the couple getting married.
This Is The Church
At the altar of Saint Thomas the Apostle RC Church, Marguerite and Joseph said their vows. The couple committed to remaining together until death do they part, but as far as Bobby and Megan knew they could have split up by now.
They weren't sure if they were looking for a couple, or if the couple had deceased, if Marguerite still held the last name Garguilo, or if one of them were now a widower. All they knew is who this couple was more than sixty years ago.
The Couple Saying Their Vows
At the altar of Saint Thomas the Apostle RC Church, Marguerite and Joseph said their vows. The couple committed to remaining together until death do they part, but as far as Bobby and Megan knew they could have split up by now.
They weren't sure if they were looking for a couple, or if the couple had deceased, if Marguerite still held the last name Garguilo, or if one of them were now a widower. All they knew is who this couple was more than sixty years ago.
Meet Mr. And Mrs. Gargiulohe
More traditional wedding dresses were known for their expansive skirts, embellished in this classic pose where the bride and groom gather atop the bride's spread out dress. The couple is gathered close together, while Marguerite's hand rests atop Joseph's.
Megan told reporters that Bobby and her wedding photos were all digital. Since she knew that this couple had, at best, copies and, at worst, only these physical copies, she felt even more compelled to return them.
The Pampered Bride
A wedding day tradition that many couples still hold onto is taking photographs of the bride getting ready. The bride's big reveal is an important element of a wedding, and it's the job of the bridesmaids to ensure she looks perfect.
Here, Marguerite's friends look excited as they prepare her sleeves and vail. Though the album was so old that it'd turned yellow, the emotions captured in it still feel fresh.
The Women Pose For The Camera
It's amazing how meticulously the bridesmaids match. Their dresses, headpeices, and boquets all are precisly the same. Looking back at old photographs as these, we can see how trends have evolved with time. For example, it's unusual for bridesmaids to wear a veil at a wedding nowadays. But here, they're wearing shorter, off-colored versions of the bride's vail.
Though the photographs are black and white, the design of the gowns pop. Had the photographs been colored, the album would hold less of that vintage feel.
Family Members May Like To See This
While the bride and groom are the first to come to mind who might want the album back, the rest of the family also is without these cherished memories. The next morning, Bobby returned to the space and found another album.
This album was the same as the first, only smaller and it said "Our Children's Wedding" on the cover. Megan deduced that this must have been the parents' version of the wedding album, meaning that the family likely would be missing all of their documentation of the special day.
The Couple Had Some Character
For such a traditional Catholic family, this photo certainly has that edgy humor of the 1960s. While the other photos show a more modest married couple, in this photograph Marguerite holds a lip to her finger while holding up a "Do Not Disturb" sign.
Meanwhile, Joseph gives the "okay" sign with a big grin. Like most newlyweds, they probably couldn't wait to consummate the marriage. Especially for someone from Catholic descent, it can be a moment to look forward to.
Where Are They Today?
Megan posted photographs on her Facebook account of all that she and Bobby had found. It was important to include as many details as possible so that someone might identify something.
Crisp images of the bride and grooms' faces, clear posts of the invitations that read the address and date, and distant photos of the album itself all could be indicators to someone who had been there or at least heard about it. In the post-Megan encouraged people to spread the word.
Everyone Started Sleuthing
One of Megan's Facebook friends happened to be a genealogist. She suggested the mystery bride might be Marguerite Bojna, who had remarried in 1994. Mrs. Bojna's middle initial is an L. Noelle pointed out that the marriage index said that Marguerite Lillian Lau married Joseph Garguilo in 1963.
Cynthia posted a link to a Marguerite Garguilo's Facebook page, saying that this woman resembles the bride in the photographs. The next step would be for Bobby and Megan to reach out to the candidates.
We Found Her!
After going viral, Bobby and Megan appeared on the news. All of the publicity had people talking and wondering about the mystery wedding album. After a trip to Marguerite's home ended with no avail, Megan was more committed than ever to find this woman.
Sure enough, Megan was at last successful in finding the mysterious Marguerite. She posted to Facebook that she and Bobby went to visit with the elderly woman, and said she was, "the sweetest lady and both of us were very emotional reminiscing about her wedding day."
Marguerite Remains A Mystery
While we would love to say that Megan spilled all the beans about this photographed couple, and why the album was hidden for all this time, she instead chose to stay vague on behalf of Marguerite's wishes. She wrote that Marguerite, "wants to keep her memories personal and enjoy them with her family and friends for years to come."
Speculation has since circled about whether Marguerite and Joseph split, or if he passed first. However, the clashing information is unverified. If you really want an answer, you'll have to sleuth for it yourself.
