Cremated remains left at DeBary Diner

Diner owner hopes to locate owner of ashes

DeBARY, Fla. – DeBary Diner owner, Allan Gochal, said he's seen a lot of things left outside his restaurant for the past 18 years.

 

"We always find refrigerators and freezers and that type of thing," Gochal said.

 

But on Sunday morning, Gochal said his cook found a small camera film case.

 

"I was thinking it might be drugs or something, but with the tooth visible inside, we knew it was remains," he said.

 

Not only did he find ashes, but a word on the canister written in all caps.

 

"It says 'mom' on the bottom in red ballpoint pen," Gochal said.

 

Gochal said he decided to post his find on Facebook, hoping to reach the family that way.

 

"It has to mean something to someone. It has to be precious to someone or they wouldn't have carried it along, this long inside of an old 35mm case," he said.

 

"They should really come and get it," said Carol Hoffer.

 

Diners were also shocked to see something so personal left behind.

 

"I think it's very sad that somebody lost it because if it was mine, I'd want it back," she said.

 

Gochal said he has since taped up the tiny makeshift urn and will hold onto it, because he knows somewhere, someone, is missing it.

 

"I think they wanted to carry the remains with them. I don't think they wanted to bury and a lot of people do keep the remains because they're precious," Gochal said.

 

Gochal said if no one claims the ashes, he'll turn them over to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

 


About the Author:

Loren Korn is a native Texan who joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2014. She was born and raised in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Journalism.

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