John Russo's seven great grandchildren will get their Christmas presents this year thanks to an alert Monroe County Sheriff's Office commander.
As he was driving on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Friday, Captain Gene Thompson spotted a Rubbermaid container on the side of the road, south of the Seven Mile Bridge. He stopped to investigate and found it contained wrapped presents.
Tags identified the gifts "From Grandma and Grandpa Russo." Thompson surmised they were from a Keys resident. A search was launched for the owner by sheriff's office dispatchers and local radio station WWUS.
Russo said he had been heading to Bradenton when he had stopped his pickup truck to add ice to a cooler. He set the container aside and forgot about it.
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Thompson says he's traveling to the southwest Florida and will deliver the gifts to Russo Saturday.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
