When you find out that an early sweetheart is buried in NYC's potter's field

A million years ago, I had a pre-puberty crush on a classmate named Valerie. And she liked me back!

We enjoyed a harmless bit of grade-school flirting that involved me singing an old Monkees tune to her:

She and I lost touch after we graduated from the eighth grade but I did hear through the grapevine that Valerie had mysteriously vanished at age 20. Over the years and decades, I never got an update but she popped vividly into my mind the other day.

After some online sleuthing, I learned that less than two years ago, her remains were found on Hart Island — where NYC buries the bodies (and body parts) of those not claimed by family members and those who are unable to afford a private funeral.

The story I pieced together is that 10 months after she went missing, an unidentified female body was found in the East River. Lacking today’s DNA testing, the body was not matched with Valerie’s missing person case so she ended up buried anonymously.

The family searched and suffered for decades until someone suggested they check Hart Island’s DNA files once they became available. That’s when the match was made.

No one knows what happened but Valerie’s missing person report mentions that she had depression. It’s unclear if that played a role.

Also, she was dating a local guy at the time but he wasn’t questioned when the body was found because it wasn’t connected to her disappearance.

All I can do now is pray for her soul and for her family. Perhaps some of you will do the same. 🙏

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For much more historical context on the very fascinating Hart Island, check out this post I made about it last year:

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