Decade-old Message In Bottle Unveils Classroom Project, Reconnects Bereaved Family

An incredible tale of fate unfolded as a message in a bottle, initially part of a classroom assignment over 30 years ago, played a pivotal role in bringing solace to a grieving family. Last Thursday, Adam Travis, intending to tidy up his duck blinds along the Southampton coast, stumbled upon an old bottle that had eluded his notice multiple times. Upon closer inspection, he discovered a piece of paper enclosed within. Unable to remove the paper due to the bottle’s small opening, he took it home to investigate further.

Adam attempted to extract the paper with tweezers, but it began tearing. As a last resort, he crushed the bottle over a cardboard box, revealing a surprisingly well-preserved postcard. The postcard, written in pencil and dated October 1992, turned out to be part of an earth science project from Mattituck High School. The assignment, orchestrated by teacher Richard E Brooks, involved students sending messages in bottles to study ocean currents.

The message inside read, “Dear Finder, As part of an earth science project for 9th grade, this bottle was thrown into the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island. Please fill in the information below and return the bottle 2 us. Merci, Gracias, Danke, Thank you, Sean and Ben.” The letter was sent by students Shawn McGill and Ben Doroski, who had travelled the ocean for three decades before reaching the Southampton coast.

After sharing his discovery on social media, Adam Travis embarked on a quest to find the original students and eventually located the Mattituck High School Alumni page. The story gained immense attention and it was on this platform that the family of Mr. Brooks connected with Travis. Richard Brooks, a beloved teacher who had passed away in September, was the mastermind behind the project.

Upon sharing the letter on the school’s Facebook group, former students of Brooks enthusiastically responded. John Brooks, a former soldier and son of Brooks, expressed that his father was a phenomenal teacher and destiny led him to become one as well. Through Facebook, Travis connected with the Brooks family. He plans to personally return the letter to them. This heartwarming discovery not only reunited a long-lost message with its senders but also provided the Brooks family with a poignant connection to their late father and teacher.