N.S. man receives long-lost birthday card 70 years later

An elderly Nova Scotia man has received a very special gift for his 81^st birthday - a long lost card his mother bought for his 11^th birthday.

The card reads: “With eleven happy birthdays, you can count a lot of fun. I hope you keep counting far beyond your ten plus one.”

Garnet Dickson should have received the card seven decades ago. His mother Nellie bought it and tucked it away for his birthday party on March 3^rd, 1944.

However, the celebration never happened. Four days earlier, Dickson`s mother suddenly became ill with unbearable headaches caused by an aneurism.

“The doctor came down the main road, as far as this road and dad went with a horse and sleigh to pick him up and took him back up home, but by then she was gone,” says the River Philip, N.S. resident.

Nellie’s funeral was held four days later, on Dickson’s birthday.

Her belongings were passed between family members over the years and eventually came into the possession of Dickson’s brother, Craig. He found the birthday card earlier this year and thought it was time the birthday card was delivered to its rightful owner.

“When he was here for his 81^st birthday, which would have been 70 years after the funeral of our mother, I thought it was time to give him those articles,” says Craig.

“It really touches my heart, I didn't know about it for 70 years,” says Dickson. “It's really quite emotional for me. My mother was a very special person.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis

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  This long-lost birthday card finally found its way into the hands of its rightful owner, 70 years later. (CTV Atlantic)

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  Garnet Dickson received a special long-lost card for his 81st birthday. (CTV Atlantic)