As the New Year begins, a family is grateful for receiving the "best Christmas present ever," thanks to the diligence and perseverance of an Arlington woman.
Sisters Cyndi Premazon and Denise Duncan had all but given up finding a shadow box with medals honoring their cousin, who was killed while serving in World War II. Private James Lynn Barnes was 33 when he was shot down over Normandy, just one day after D-day. The box was lost during a divorce and move.
At the same time, Sally Thorson, president of the Ladies Auxiliary at VFW Post 6111 in Arlington, had been working to find someone connected to a shadow box given to the post anonymously several years earlier.
That's when a radio show, a television story and an online search each played a part in solving the mystery.
"I was listening to the Michael Berry radio show on Veteran's Day and he was doing a special tribute to the veterans," Premazon said. "And it got me to thinking about my cousin."
So Premazon went to her computer, typed in her cousin's name, Private James Lynn Barnes, and found a story done by a local news station about the unclaimed shadow box and medals.
The reunion was made official when VFW Post 6111 presented the shadow box to Premazon and Duncan on December 21, 2013, in Arlington. "It was a miracle," Premazon said. "I am so grateful to them for working so hard. Not only did they keep this safe, but guarded it as though it was part of their family."
Premazon's middle name is also Lynn, in honor of her cousin, and she continued the family tradition by giving her son the same middle name as well.
"I'll be eternally grateful to Sally and the people at the VFW. I don't refer to it as a shadow box, I call it James. And now I have it so I can pass it to my son."
For now the shadow box, containing a Purple Heart and other medals, sits in Premazon's home office, where she can look at it every day.
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