Woman Left in Tears After Receiving Sign from 'Heaven' Following Grandfather's Death: 'I Couldn't Believe My Eyes' (Exclusive) Tereza ShkurtajDecember 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM 0 Analyse Capodiferro Analyse Capodiferro; 'National Geographic' magazines. Analyse Capodiferro grew up in Memphis, Tenn., where she and her sister were raised by her mother and grandparents While her grandfather was born in Memphis and lived there from 1974 until 2019, he grew up in Tucson, Ariz.
- - Woman Left in Tears After Receiving Sign from 'Heaven' Following Grandfather's Death: 'I Couldn't Believe My Eyes' (Exclusive)
Tereza ShkurtajDecember 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM
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Analyse Capodiferro
Analyse Capodiferro; 'National Geographic' magazines. -
Analyse Capodiferro grew up in Memphis, Tenn., where she and her sister were raised by her mother and grandparents
While her grandfather was born in Memphis and lived there from 1974 until 2019, he grew up in Tucson, Ariz.
Less than two years after his sudden passing, Capodiferro tells PEOPLE she received an unexpected "gift" from her late grandfather
Analyse Capodiferro had just wrapped up her freshman year of college and was in the midst of moving to New York City for a dream internship when life turned "bittersweet."
On May 2, 2019 – just before embarking on a new chapter – her grandfather, Jon Allen Roachell, the man who helped raise her, died unexpectedly at the age of 79.
"I wanted to be able to be there to help [my family] clean out the house and support my grandma during this time, but I knew [my grandpa] would want me to go," Capodiferro tells PEOPLE exclusively.
"One of the last things I remember him telling me was how proud he was of me, which was really special and something I have always held onto," she adds.
Analyse Capodiferro
Analyse Capodiferro and her grandfather.
Although Capodiferro moved to New York before she could help clean out her grandparents' house, the 25-year-old says their attic and garage were a "giant treasure trove."
Growing up, Capodiferro and her sister spent lots of time with their grandparents in Memphis, Tenn., where her grandfather had lived since 1974 after moving from Tucson, Ariz., where he was raised.
Her grandparents were avid yard-sale wanderers, so their home seemed to overflow with knick-knacks.
"You could dig for hours and not even scratch the surface of their collections of items," Capodiferro says.
Some of her fondest memories as a child involved tagging along to yard sales with her grandparents and finding random gems tucked away in their home.
Analyse Capodiferro
Young Analyse Capodiferro and her family.
One discovery in particular that fascinated her was a box of more than 20 vintage National Geographic magazines she found hiding in their attic.
"They were in great condition aside from a bit of dust," Capodiferro recalls. "Not enough to deter me, though."
As a nature lover, she was immediately drawn to them and intentionally left them at her grandparents' house so she'd have something to browse and admire after school.
"The magazines were special to me because my papaw and I had spent time together admiring the world through them," Capodiferro tells PEOPLE.
"We didn't travel much growing up," she adds. "These magazines were an opportunity to travel together, my papaw and I, to places beyond our wildest dreams."
Unfortunately, after his death, and during the process of cleaning his home, Capodiferro's mother donated the magazines to a local donation center in Memphis – unaware of their sentimental value.
"I was pretty upset, but I knew it was a tough time and everyone was doing the best that they could," Capodiferro shares. "I also felt more guilt for not being able to be there to help more so than anything else. But it felt like a big memory with my papaw was lost."
In 2020, a little over a year and a half later, and still struggling with her grandfather's death, Capodiferro decided to try to track down the beloved magazines for Christmas.
Analyse Capodiferro
The 'National Geographic' magazines that were delivered to Analyse Capodiferro.
However, she couldn't remember their exact dates — only that some went as far back as the '60s and '80s — so she was nearly certain she'd never see them again.
"Statistically, it was impossible," Capodiferro admits. "I had sort of grazed through some local thrift stores to see if they had shown up anywhere, and I would find a few vintage National Geographic magazines scattered around, but nothing that matched his collections."
Nevertheless, Capodiferro refused to give up. While browsing online, she came across Goodwill's website and searched for "vintage National Geographic magazines."
Surprisingly, she found a listing for two boxed sets and placed a bid on a whim. A few days later, she was notified that she had won, and the magazines were on their way to her from Tucson, Ariz.
Analyse Capodiferro
The 'National Geographic' magazines that were delivered to Analyse Capodiferro.
"It felt as though he had shipped them straight from Heaven," Capodiferro shares. "They truly could have come from anywhere in the U.S., but they didn't. They came from his hometown. It was such a special moment."
And although she doesn't believe the magazines she received are the exact ones her grandfather owned, she insists they are even better.
"They were in perfect condition. I couldn't believe my eyes. I remember sitting on the floor in my room and carefully scanning each page and just sobbing," she says. "For a moment, it felt as though he was right there with me flipping through the pages."
Analyse Capodiferro
The 'National Geographic' magazines that were delivered to Analyse Capodiferro.
While admiring her new set of National Geographic magazines that night, she found an unexpected outlier: a 2019 special edition titled Women: A Century of Change.
At the time, Capodiferro was studying acting, but had turned her focus to comedy, with a particular interest in women's experiences in the field.
She spent her time reading the work of female icons like Gloria Steinem, Angela Davis, Virginia Woolf, and contemporary writers like Sarah Ruhl and Samantha Irby.
Analyse Capodiferro
The 'National Geographic' magazines in Analyse Capodiferro's room.
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So discovering this particular edition tucked among the set felt like a sign sent by her grandfather.
"The experience felt like pure magic. A miracle, if you will," Capodiferro tells PEOPLE. "To have loved someone so deeply, and lost them so suddenly, was devastating in ways I couldn't even process. Receiving a gift from him in Heaven was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: November 30, 2025 at 06:36PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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