Flea markets across the U.S. offer money-saving deals to the people who shop at them. And while people have found many unique treasures, one find in particular got national attention. The item found by Walter and Lanie Brown ended up being worth a lot more than just money.

Finding a priceless treasure

The couple had traveled to the flea market in Hemphill, Texas to buy Walter a holster.

As the couple shopped, they came across an item that immediately caught his eye. Calling his wife over, the pair checked the item out, an American flag covered in writing.

As they looked at the flag, the couple realized it was worth buying whatever the price was. After finding out the seller only wanted $5 for the item, they quickly bought it and returned home. After arriving home, the couple’s son, who was a marine, informed them that the flag was a tribute flag for a fallen Marine.

Messages were written on the flag

The flag had many messages written on it, including:

“You will be missed by all, but never forgotten.”

Another of the many messages written on the flag read:

“We’ll always remember the sacrifice you made. God bless.”

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The two dozen messages on the flag were for a marine who had lost his life in Iraq in 2005, Lance Corporal Fred Maciel. The marine had lost his life in a helicopter crash. After determining who the flag was for, the Browns made it their mission to return it to Maciel’s family.

Returning the flag to Maciel’s mother

With the aid of their son and other children, the couple was able to track down Maciel’s mother, Patsy Maciel. Instead of making the reception of the flag impersonal by sending it through the mail, Walter and Lanie decide to deliver the precious item in person.

Bringing the flag to her in person

Patsy met the couple at her son’s gravesite, along with others who showed up to honor Maciel and show their respect. As for Patsy, she was surprised to learn of the flag’s existence. She had received an official flag from the U.S. Marine Corp. about ten years previously.

Patsy took the existence of the flag as a message from her son that it was time for her to heal from his death.

“If this happened any earlier, there’s no way I would have been able to go out there and receive it because I was an absolute basket case. Now, my heart is at peace,” Patsy told TODAY.

Playing a hand in its discovery

Patsy also thought her son had played a hand in the discovery of the flag by the couple. According to Lanie, the fact that the couple was at the flea market at all was “a miracle.” But Walter needed a new holster and so the couple had traveled to the flea market to find one, and of course, ended up finding the flag as well.

For more on this precious flea market find, check out the video below.

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Sources: YouTube – USA TODAY, CBS NEWS, TODAY