A New Hampshire family got a priceless gift this week, one they never expected.
Their dad’s helmet from when he served as a firefighter in Portsmouth, New Hampshire was returned to them decades after his death.
"Most people in the city knew Stanley, he was a good-hearted soul," said his daughter-in-law Linda Pizz.
In fact, it’s been more than 40 years since Stanley Pizz fought his last fire, but his old, leather helmet was just returned to Linda and his son, Rick, who served with his dad for 10 years.
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"I can still remember him running down the street and me giggling because he’s getting his boot on and almost falling over," Linda said laughing.
The helmet’s journey back home started when a retired Portsmouth firefighter found it on eBay for $500 and sent a note to Fire Chief Todd Germain.
"A lot of our memorabilia is on the internet and I wish I could buy every piece of it, but we’re not in a position to spend money on that stuff," Germain said.
Enter Portsmouth realtor Sue Doyle. She saw a post about the helmet in a Portsmouth Facebook group and immediately went on eBay and bought it.
"I was like, 'wait, I could make this happen,'" Doyle said.
On Tuesday, at the Court Street station where Stanley Pizz volunteered for about 25 years, his family was presented with his helmet.
"To bring it back where it belongs, it was amazing," Linda said. "I don’t want to cry, but it was amazing that you have such good people out there."
Where it’s been all these years, and how it ended up listed by a seller in Ohio remains a mystery, but the helmet with the handwritten name is home.
A priceless gift from a stranger who just wanted to say ‘thanks.’
"A lot of years that family gave to this city and it should never be forgotten," Doyle said.
Linda and Rick plan to let their grandchildren and great-grandkids hold the helmet and hear the story before they proudly hang it up for everyone to see.
