By Police1 Staff
OAKLAND, Calif. — A woman, whose boyfriend died in the Dec. 2 Oakland warehouse fire, took to social media to find a year-old photo to help cope with her grief.
Saya Tomioka said she and boyfriend Griffin Madden, 23, were in New York City last June when a photographer snapped a photo of the couple mid-embrace, NBC Los Angeles reported.
“I’ve always longed to find this particular photograph and thank the photographer,” she wrote. “Friends, possibly with your help, I can be reunited with this photograph, this treasured memory that I’ll always keep in my heart.”
Looking for a miracle, Tomioka waited. To her surprise, a NYPD officer who was friends with photographer Arken Avan got wind of the story and forwarded it to Avan.
Avan searched through his photos and found the image for Tomioka.
“I actually remember this moment — young lady was holding pretzel in her hand and young man had lipstick on his cheek,” he wrote in a message to her. “What a beautiful and adorable couple I thought at that moment. I’m sorry for your loss and hope you will keep these pictures for memory, forever.”
After 300+ shares, & GF of an #OaklandFire victim found the photo she was searching for. (PC:@arkenavan) pic.twitter.com/pe05q7eZ6O
— Gillian Edevane (@GillianNBC) December 8, 2016
According to the news station, Avan’s photo helped bring a “glimpse of your light back into my [Tomioka’s] life.”