Dave and Vallery Charron lived a true love story. They were inseparable for 33 years of marriage.
Then, a plane crash two-and-a-half years ago changed everything.
“I survived the crash that he didn’t,” Charron said, tearing up.
It’s been a struggle for her, both physically and emotionally.
Then thieves broke into her home earlier this summer.
“This break-and-enter just added insult to injury,” Charron said. “The things they took… just took him away all over again.”
Charron didn’t hold out any hope she’d ever see her belongings again.
The Calgary Police Service Break and Enter Unit is constantly investigating these kinds of cases.
This summer, the team of investigators was tracking a prolific offender — which led them to a storage locker filled with stolen property.
Const. Andrew Hughes was tasked with the painstaking process of finding the rightful owners.
“When we inventoried the property I came across… an old family video camera,” Hughes said. “It sat on my desk for some time and I knew deep down it was a task I had to do.”
Hughes is a family man himself and knows the value of having videos to look back on and reminisce.
So one-by-one he watched the videos, finding 20 years worth of family holidays, special events, Christmases and more on the tapes.
Then, a clue. A video from 2004.
“A graduation of a girl I only knew as Danielle,” he explained.
In the background was a sign that read “Chestermere High School.”
So off Hughes went to the high school to learn more about Danielle, then to the RCMP for an address.
Then Hughes had the opportunity to meet Danielle’s mother, Vallery Charron.
Hughes delivered the best news she’s had in a very long time — he had found her treasured belongings.
Charron was understandably overwhelmed with emotion.
“It was so totally out of the blue and I just cannot express… ‘Thank you’ is just not an adequate word,” she said.
She’s since laughed and cried watching the videos.
“Now, I can actually see him move, I can hear him laugh,” she said.