Lost video camera found 16 years later, full of family memories in New Jersey

POINT PLEASANT, N.J. (WABC) -- A trip to the Jersey Shore resulted in lost memories for one family who left their camera at a candy shop on the boardwalk.

Now 16 years later, they learned the camera was found.

Maria's first steps, fun times with daddy in the mirror and on the lake; home videos discovered in a camera bag that was left on the beach at Jenkinson's 16 years ago. It was put in lost and found which was relocated over the years as Jenkinson's expanded.

"So it's possible the lost and found originated in our old offices, and someone thought to bring it here just in case," said Toby Wolf, of Jenkinson's Boardwalk.

In the attic of a then-new building, where the bag became covered in a corner, it was spotted in September.

"To be honest, I don't know how it was found," Wolf said.

The camera no longer worked. But one day, another employee was doing chores at home and had an idea.

"I found my old camera and thought, why not bring it in and try to watch the tapes," said Dan Camano, of Jenkinson's Boardwalk.

They watched and heard the girls' names, Maria and Caroline, and dad says their last name, Christini.

You can't replace those valuable moments, or the incredible moment we got to share with Jenkinson's when the father, Mark Christini called to claim the tapes.

"It's just a huge Christmas present for us," said Mark Christini, on the phone.

"Who lost the bag, you or the wife?" Eyewitness News asked.

"I'll have to take the blame for that. We looked but it was gone," Christini said.

"How old are the girls now?" Eyewitness News asked.

"23 and 21," Christini said.

We imagine part of this holiday will be a loving family laughing together at memories that were lost and now found, thanks to the staff at Jenkinson's.