A heartwarming story from the Antiques Roadshow has gone viral just in time for the holiday season.
The beloved series shared an update from a 2004 episode, revealing what happened to guest Tom and his stoneware cooler, which was appraised at an astonishing $65,000 to $85,000—a valuation that left Tom visibly shocked.
In a new episode airing in November 2024, the same appraiser recounted that Tom had called him the very next day after filming to sell the piece.
After the jug was sold, Tom shared with the appraiser that he and his wife Carol ‘now had enough money in their bank account to now apply to adopt a child for the first time in their lives.’
Though Tom passed away four years later at just 46, Carol later wrote to the appraiser, expressing that Tom had cherished his time on the show and that they had successfully adopted a wonderful son named Henry.
In a full-circle moment, Carol and Henry were invited back to the show, where the now-adult Henry had a chance to see the jug in person and emotionally reflected, ‘I’ve always known about the jug, it contributes to the person of who I am today’.
Antiques Roadshow shared an update from a 2004 episode, revealing what happened to guest Tom and his stoneware cooler, which was appraised at an astonishing $65,000 to $85,000—a valuation that left Tom visibly shocked
In a new episode airing in November 2024, the same appraiser recounted that Tom had called him the very next day after filming to sell the piece
The viral clip, posted on Wednesday, was simply captioned: ‘How did this old jug – and Antiques Roadshow – change a life forever?’.
Another caption read, ‘We’re not crying, you’re crying. Watch the bittersweet story of what happened to this stoneware cooler after the ROADSHOW cameras stopped rolling.’
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Fans were equally moved by the story, with one commenting on TikTok, ‘Ok, so even Antiques Roadshow is gonna make me cry now.’
Another added,’One of the4 best things I’ve seen on TIkTok, life is too short.’
Yet another moved follower shared, ‘To think some thrown and fired clay could be sold and give a child a life to live. Humanity is a wild place.’
Still more were moved, with one commenting, ‘melt my F’ing heart! A sell worth it! What a gem of a child. He recognizing what they did to get him. Beautiful.
One gushed, ‘Wow his connection to the jug and his parents is so special for life!’ as another wrote, ‘Such a great outcome, sorry about his passing, but so nice a beautiful family came together.’
‘This is the “rest of the story” moment any good person would want to know of. That Antique Roadshow gentleman was more than a knowledgeable host, he helped a good man achieve his selfless goal of adoption to create family that would live on and honor his memory. Just beautiful…’ a fan nicely summarized the episode.
After the jug was sold, Tom shared with the appraiser that he and his wife Carol ‘now had enough money in their bank account to now apply to adopt a child for the first time in their lives’
Though Tom passed away four years later at just 46, Carol later wrote to the appraiser, expressing that Tom had cherished his time on the show and that they had successfully adopted a wonderful son named Henry
In a full-circle moment, Carol and Henry were invited back to the show, where the now-adult Henry had a chance to see the jug in person and emotionally reflected, ‘I’ve always known about the jug, it contributes to the person of who I am today’
The viral clip, posted on Wednesday, was simply captioned: ‘How did this old jug – and Antiques Roadshow – change a life forever?’