Ohio Woman Receives Unexpected Jewelry Store Call on Same Date Her Father Died 33 Years Earlier — A Heartfelt Thanksgiving Coincidence

DAYTON, OHIO — What began as an ordinary November day turned into an emotional reminder of love and connection for an Ohio woman — exactly 33 years after the night her father passed away.

When Eliza Bolen was just 6 years old, she was practicing piano with her mother one evening when her father, Tim Larkin, suddenly stepped into the room, placed his hand over his chest, and said something was wrong. Within minutes, he collapsed.

Doctors later determined he had suffered a ruptured aorta, a fatal condition that took his life before anyone could react. He was just 43 years old.

A Sudden Loss That Shaped a Lifetime

Tim Larkin’s passing in 1992, just a week before Thanksgiving, left behind a wife and three young children — two sons and one daughter, Eliza. The family, from Dayton, Ohio, was devastated by the sudden loss that changed their lives forever.

Now, 33 years later, Eliza says a moment of unexpected fate reminded her that love doesn’t fade with time.

“I was the apple of my dad’s eye,” Bolen told TODAY. “He just adored me, and I adored him. I don’t have a memory of him ever being mad or mean. He was super fun, playful, and silly.”

She recalled how he used to carry her up the stairs on his back every night, making bedtime an adventure — a memory that became even more precious after his passing.

A Jewelry Store Call With Emotional Timing

In a twist that Bolen described as “beyond coincidence,” she received a call from a jewelry store on the exact date of her father’s death, 33 years later. The store’s call wasn’t connected to his passing, yet it landed at the precise moment of remembrance — just days before Thanksgiving, when Bolen often reflects on her father’s life.

The call felt to her like a gentle reminder from the universe that some bonds transcend time.

“It was like he was saying hello,” Bolen shared, describing how the unexpected call made her stop in her tracks. “There’s no logical reason it happened on that date — it just did.”

Remembering Tim Larkin

Friends and relatives described Tim Larkin as a devoted father and husband who brought joy into every room. Though his life was cut short, Bolen said his warmth and laughter continue to guide her decades later.

The moment with the jewelry store, she said, reaffirmed her belief that love finds a way to show itself — even years after loss.

“It felt like my dad’s presence was reminding me that he’s still with me,” Bolen said. “You never really stop feeling that connection.”

A Thanksgiving Reminder of Gratitude

For Bolen, the emotional coincidence just before Thanksgiving served as a reminder to cherish family moments and express gratitude, even when they come wrapped in sorrow.

“Every year, this time brings back memories,” she said. “But this year, I felt comfort instead of pain.”

The story has resonated with many across social media as families reflect on loved ones lost during the holidays — and on the small, serendipitous ways they still make their presence known.

For more inspiring human-interest stories from across the South and Midwest, visit napervillelocal.com, your source for heartfelt local storytelling.