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Stranger finds family shown in treasure trove of decades-old photos

Mystery behind family photos solved
Mystery behind decades-old family photos finally solved 02:01

TYRONE, Ga. -- When Kristie Baeumert found a $15 vintage slide projector at Goodwill, it came with a mystery. She found a family's old set of slides, showing smiling girls and a woman who was dressed to the nines.

"I love these pictures," she said after finding the images. "I feel like I know this family at this point."

Minutes after CBS News shared her story last week, a viewer contacted Kristie, bringing her together with the family in the old slides -- Theda Robertson, now 88, and her daughters Deborah and Treva.

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Kristie Baeumert discovered a family's old photos when she bought a $15 vintage projector. CBS News

When they finally got to meet in person, Kristie showed the Robertsons photos of themselves they hadn't seen in 20 years.

"It brings back all the memories that we had as children," Deborah said.

As a military family, the Robertsons lived around the world. But the family projector disappeared years ago.

"She purchased a projector and then found our life's treasures inside," Treva said. "You did not give up, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

As for Krisitie, the outcome is just as good as she imagined.

"They are just as happy and joyful and it's such a great story just the way I thought it would be," Kristie said.

As for the slide projector that brought them together, it also went home with the Robertsons.

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