On Wednesday, Nov. 6, Makenzie Van Eyk recounted a surprising moment to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) — a message in a bottle she threw into Lake St. Clair as part of a school project in 1998 resurfaced 26 years later, discovered by her own daughter’s classmate.
As a fourth-grader at St. John the Baptist Catholic Elementary School in Belle River, Ontario, Van Eyk had written a letter about the Great Lakes’ water for an assignment. She placed the letter in a plastic bottle, sealed it with wax, and tossed it into the lake, never imagining it would be found decades later.
Fast forward to today, River Vandenberg, a kindergartener at the same school, stumbled upon the bottle on a jetty. His grandmother initially thought it might be recent. However, after sending it to the school, the teacher discovered it dated back to 1998, leaving everyone amazed.
To make the moment even more special, the teacher surprised Van Eyk’s daughter, Scarlet, by reading the letter aloud to the class. Scarlet was stunned to realize the letter was written by her mother.
“I was shocked,” Van Eyk told CBC, reflecting on the message’s unexpected longevity. She fondly recalled sealing the bottle and throwing it into the lake, viewing it as a fun, memorable project that would connect the past with the future.
The initiative was part of a lesson designed by Van Eyk’s teacher, Roland St. Pierre, who was equally surprised to learn of the discovery. He described the moment as emotional, marveling at the bottle’s ability to withstand the elements for over two decades.
This serendipitous find serves as a reminder of the enduring power of curiosity and connection, bridging generations through an act of simple creativity.