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GF of Oakland fire victim reunited with photo of a NYC kiss
Bereaved girlfriend of Oakland fire victim is reunited with photo of romantic Times Square kiss after her desperate plea goes viral on Facebook
Saya Tomioka, a Los Angeles-based yoga instructor, dated Griffin Madden
Madden was one of 36 people who died in tragic fire at Oakland artist enclave
Tomioka pleaded on Facebook for help in tracking down photo of the two kissing during a trip to New York City last year
The Facebook post went viral, generating over 3,600 shares
The photo was found and was appended to a lengthy love letter
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When it became apparent to Saya Tomioka that her boyfriend, Griffin Madden, was one of the 36 people who perished in the tragic Oakland warehouse fire last Friday, the young yoga instructor from Los Angeles needed a poignant reminder of the love that was lost.
So she posted a heartfelt notice on Facebook pleading for a 'miracle' – help in tracking down a photograph taken by Arken Avan, which shows the two sharing an intimate moment on the streets of New York City.
'This morning I remembered the first time I went to Times Square, June 16 of 2015,' she wrote on her Facebook page last Sunday.
'Griffin and I just finished watching The Book of Mormon on Broadway. I remember tears swelling my eyes because the city was so beautiful and amidst all the lights, I got to look at the brightest light of all, my sweetie.'
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'I've always longed to find this particular photograph and thank the photographer.... Friends, possibly with your help, I can be reunited with this photograph, this treasured memory that I'll always keep in my heart,' she wrote.
Sure enough, Tomioka's post went viral, generating nearly 400 shares and over 580 emotional responses
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Quote:
Frank Somerville, a news anchor with KTVU, also posted the item on his Facebook feed, generating over 3,600 shares, according to SFGate.com.
The viral post eventually led to Arken Avan, the photographer who snapped the picture of the lovebirds in Times Square.
Tomioka attached the photo in a lengthy post that read like a farewell love letter to Madden.
'My sweetheart, there are a few things I want you to know,' she wrote:
'I am at peace. I loved you openly and endlessly from the moment I laid my eyes on you on my first day at UC Berkeley as a freshman.'
'I have no regrets. I will miss you desperately; everyone who knew you will miss you just as much.'
'Your light touched so so so many people, and you taught/will continue to teach us to live our lives just as fully, youthfully and kindly as you did.'
'I promise you that I will never stop dancing; I'll dance even harder.'
'I will never stop laughing; I'll laugh even louder. I will never stop loving; I'll love even prouder.
With the brightest light and the greatest love, Your sweetie chan. Yours always.'
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz4SXudBaAa
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