Decades old message in a bottle found near Houston; "You will be blessed by God forever"
HOUSTON - A Houston man says he located a 38-year-old message in a bottle while walking back from his secret fishing spot off Lake Houston.
"When I got it out and was able to open it and read it, I kind of looked around like, am I being plunked?" said David Johnson.
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Roughly two weeks ago, Johnson made the discovery about 50 yards from the lake’s shore in an area that routinely floods in Kingwood. Johnson says he typically records himself fishing, but this time he forgot to turn off the GoPro camera on his head.
While he was walking back through the swampy woods, the camera recorded him discovering the old bottle.
"I’m convinced [Hurricane] Harvey brought it to where I found it," said Johnson. "But, it’s been years since then."
In the glass bottle was an old penny and a note. The message was dated September 7, 1985.
"This is a coin that is for whoever finds it," reads the message. "You will be blessed by God forever."
On Facebook, Johnson tracked down a person with a name matching the signature on the note. That person told Johnson, that he remembers dropping the bottle in 1985 along Cypress Creek near T.C. Jester. According to Johnson, the bottle traveled roughly 26 miles to where he located it after 38 years.
"He says he remembers doing it when he was 9-years-old," said Johnson. "He says he put in near Cypress Creek, near T.C. Jester."
Johnson framed the old message and plans to give it to the person who placed it in the bottle 38 years ago. In addition, Johnson made a necklace using the old penny from the bottle.
"The fact that it wasn’t picked up as garbage, and the fact it wasn’t broken, it’s pretty cool," said Johnson.