KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s a day of success for two sub-contractors who wanted to return some old memorabilia they found in a North Kansas City home.

After it was stored in an attic over the garage for decades, these belongings are making their way home. Elizabeth Adams was reunited with her family’s items Thursday. 

“Well, my name is Liz, Elizabeth,” Adams said.

“This is your book!” Mercedes Valencia said.

There were books and boots that belonged to Adams and several keepsakes of her late mother, Irene Lee Maurer. 

“That hospital bracelet is probably my mom’s bracelet maybe when she had me,” Adams said.

Adams got to meet Valencia, the woman determined to get the items back to their rightful owner. Valencia and her husband Pablo found the items while cleaning out a home in the Northland.

“I said give me one week, then one week turned into two, and then three weeks and that’s when I emailed FOX4,” Valencia said. 

Adams said her family sold the house 45 years ago, in 1978, and threw out everything inside. She was shocked to see her family treasures on screen. 

“I was crying,” Adams said. “I can’t even find words.”

“It meant way more than what I thought it meant for her to have a piece of her childhood,” Valencia said. 

These aren’t the only discoveries for Adams over the years. Adams said they also found out Irene was adopted and has sisters. 

“For her to take that extra care,” Adams said, “I just feel that it must be meant to be because now I can share it with my mom’s two sisters that didn’t get to have a piece of her when she was a child.”

As Valencia closes this chapter, returning these items, Adams is exited to give her old book to her grandson, John.