Forgotten camera found under Clemente Bridge reignite connections, memories of those identified

By Marcie Cipriani, Raquel Ciampi

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — A Pittsburgh woman shared photos with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 in hopes of finding the former owners of a disposable camera she discovered 25 years ago.

On New Year’s Eve in 2000, Barbara Rapp found the camera under the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

After developing the pictures, she was eager to connect with the people who took them.

“When I saw these people and the smiles on their faces, it’d be great to have them see these pictures,” Rapp said.

Just hours after the photos appeared on television, several people reached out.

“It was New Year’s Eve. The Clarkes were playing on the Clemente Bridge,” said Jeremy Christy.

Christy said a friend spotted him in the photo. He was in his early 20s and said he remembers a little about that New Year’s Eve.

“My early 20s was a great time in my life,” said Christy. “We really want to find out the rest of the story here.”

Carol Codispot spotted her son Derek in one of the photos.

“It was kind of a special gift to see that,” said Codispot.

Codispot said she remembered buying her son the coat he had on for Christmas, and seeing him with a group of friends and his girlfriend brought her joy.

“Made me smile, a couple tears,” said Codispot. “Friday of this week, the 31st, it’ll be 10 years that my son died.”

Codispot said when she saw Derek she called her daughter, Ashley, who said she was grateful to see this new photo of her brother, especially now as they approach a decade without Derek.

“It was just that feeling of knowing, you know, I always feel him around me. I always feel like he’s in my heart, and I always feel like his presence, but seeing that picture just made me think like it was his way of saying like, ‘Hey, I’m still with you. I’m OK. I’m still here.'”

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