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Photographer Rescues Someone Else's Lost Vacation Photos

(CBS) -- A kind of treasure chest of memories was lost about half a decade ago – that is, until a Fox River Grove man unlocked its secrets.

In May, photographer Josh Zuelke was visiting Florida when he found a camera.

"It was all rusty and had barnacles on it," he tells CBS 2's Jeremy Ross.

He took home what remained of a waterproof camera and then carefully cut out the memory card.

To his surprise, he says, he found "a whole variety of these family photos."

He began looking for the strangers in the nearly 200 photos he rescued from a watery digital grave.

He shared his find on Facebook, and the number of "shares" kept growing.

After only 11 days, the owner of the calcified camera came forward: Kristen Cirillo of West Palm Beach, Fla.

She says she lost the $200 camera about five years ago on vacation, but the images inside were far more valuable.

Zuelke says if he's ever back in Florida, Cirillo wants to meet up to thank him and buy him and his girlfriend lunch.

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