Reconnecting with our ancestry is important for a lot of people.

Many people want to know where their roots lie. While stories and photos are a great way to keep the past close, heirlooms offer a physical way to connect.

According to the Huffington Post, one Canadian family has a new opportunity to reconnect with a family member who served in World War I.

Peter Czink, a military historian, was sifting through a box of scrap silver and found a bracelet inscribed with “Lt. O. L. Erickson, C of E, 78th Batt. Canadians.”

Czink was able to contact Erickson’s surviving son and pass along the bracelet.