The touching story of a love letter lost, then found again decades later.
This mystery began as a woman bought a second-hand record, and found the surprise of her life inside: a 70-year-old letter, tucked in the sleeve!
Ilene Ortiz told INSIDE EDITION, "I took it out and looked at it, and said 'Oh my God, this is a letter from 1945!'"
A love letter, to be exact, and it broke Ilene Ortiz's heart. "I get emotional because it's a love letter! And someone should have it. It's not mine, someone else should get it. So I'm going to try to find him."
Sure enough, she found the man who wrote the letter, and wait until you hear his story.
He's a decorated World War ll veteran named Bill Moore, and he wrote this letter to his future wife 70 years ago, during the historic Battle of the Bulge.
Bill's daughter, Melinda told INSIDE EDITION, "He was out there by himself all day in the cold and the dark and the snow, pretty lonely and miserable, and thinking of mom."
When Bill mailed the letter to his beloved, he really didn't know if he'd ever be coming home. He explained, "You always have that thing in the back of your mind, I might never see her again!"
As Bill read those words he wrote so long ago, he broke down crying.
He read the letter to INSIDE EDITION, saying: "You have no conception of the depth of my love for you. I'm really the luckiest guy in the world, you know, and you are the reason, Bernadean..."
Fate was on Bill's side. He survived the war and came home to marry Bernadean Gibson and have three children. They were happily married for 63 years until Bernadean's death in 2010.
But whatever happened to that love letter? Well, that record containing the letter once belonged to Bernadean, and she apparently kept it there for safekeeping!
The letter is precious to Bill's daughters as well. Melinda told INSIDE EDITION, "I was amazed by the emotional depth of it. Just to realize what my parents had."
Sure, the pages have yellowed and the ink has faded, but Bill's love for Bernadean has not dimmed since he was a brave young soldier, dreaming of the girl he left behind.
Bill read, "I love you. I guess I always will."
