Michigan man finally receives telegram congratulating him on his graduation, 50 years later

The telegram arrived on May 2, 1969 — one day too late.

Robert Fink had just graduated from the University of Michigan, with a degree in history and literature. Ben and Lillian Fischman, the parents of his old friend Arnie, sent him a Western Union telegram congratulating him on his accomplishment, letting Fink know they wished they could have attended the ceremony. The telegram arrived at the Ann Arbor apartment he once shared with three roommates just one day after he moved out to head back to New York for graduate school.

At some point, the telegram was put in a filing cabinet, which now stands in the office of an Ann Arbor digital marketing company. In December, Christina Zaske removed the bottom drawer and found the telegram crumpled underneath. Thinking that Fisk had seen the telegram 50 years ago and would like it back, she found his contact information online. Fink told the Ann Arbor News he thought it was a scam at first, and he was pleasantly surprised when the telegram arrived at his psychology practice in the Detroit area.

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Fink said he was "touched" the Fischman family thought to send their well wishes, and also felt bad that he was never able to thank them. The telegram arrived at the same time he has heard from other people he hasn't seen in years, including a former student who now lives in Arizona. "The theme for me has been that the long arm of the past is reaching out and grabbing me, and I should take it seriously," Fink said. Catherine Garcia