ATLANTA — Editor's note: The video used is from previous coverage about the motorcycle-riding pup duo Aaron Dean and his dog Knucklehead.
U.S. military veteran Aaron Dean was riding his motorcycle with his dog Knucklehead by his side.
The Georgia resident and his sidekick were traveling throughout North Carolina when he stopped in a parking lot.
That's when, amid the gravel, he saw something shining through. It looked to be silver military dog tags peeking out underneath.
The name Weldon F. Corbell was engraved on it, and as soon as Dean saw it, he knew he had to give it back to its owner.
Little did Dean know at the time that the dog tags showed up decades later.
However, with a little online research, Dean was able to track down the owner's family in less than a day — just in time for what would have been a monumental birthday.
The dog tags the veteran found belonged to Weldon Corbell, who would have turned 104 years old on Tuesday.
The World War II veteran stood tall in life at 6'6 -- but stood even taller as a pillar in his community.
Staff Sgt. Corbell was married to his sweetheart he met while in the service for 58 years, and they had four children together, family said.
He was an educator, coach, principal and superintendent. He was even so beloved that he had an elementary school named after him.
His daughter, Laurie Corbell Calhoun, said her father was friendly and the epitome of the saying that he never met a stranger. She is also proud of his military service.
So, it just makes sense that another military veteran would honor him when his dog tags showed up decades later.
However, the mystery is how the tags showed up in North Carolina.
Staff Sgt. Corbell passed away 20 years ago and lived his entire life in Texas. It'll forever be a conundrum on how and when those dog tags got left in the gravel of a parking lot states away from his home.
But regardless of where the tags were found, they are now in the hands of their rightful owner.
Corbell's daughter said she was blown away that Dean had the kindness and consideration to get this memory of her father back in her hands and her heart.
"We so appreciate you following through and finding the rightful owner. Many in your position would not have done the same thing," Corbell Calhoun said to Dean. "Thank you so much for your service. We know Dad is smiling down from Heaven."
What an incredible 104th birthday present for their family! And it's all thanks to a motorcycle-riding pup duo.
