>>> THERE'S A UNIQUE SPOT ON A REMOTE NORTH CAROLINA BEACH
WHERE, FOR OVER 35 YEARS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE TREKKED
THROUGH THE SAND TO PEN THEIR DEEPEST FEELINGS IN A JOURNAL.
HEATHER BURGISS PAYS A VISIT TO THE KINDRED SPIRIT MAILBOX ON
BIRD ISLAND AND INTRODUCES US TO THE ONCE SECRET CARETAKER
OF THIS MAGICAL PLACE.
>> KINDRED SPIRIT, I'M HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH MY NEWFOUND
FAMILY AND THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
NEVER BEFORE HAVE I BEEN THIS HAPPY, AND FINALLY I HAVE
SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE MEANING OF TRUE
LOVE AND LOYALTY.
>> ON A REMOTE STRETCH OF BEACH ON THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST NEAR
SUNSET BEACH IS A TREASURED TRADITION FOR THOUSANDS WHO
VISIT THESE WATERS EACH YEAR.
>> EVERYBODY COMES DOWN THERE FEELING BLUE AND
LEAVES FEELING GREAT.
>> AFTER A MILE-AND-A-HALF WALK ON BIRD ISLAND, YOU'LL SEE THE
FLAG AND THEN THE KINDRED SPIRIT MAILBOX, WHICH, FOR OVER 35
YEARS, HAS UNIQUELY SAFEGUARDED THOUSANDS OF SECRETS, JOYS,
AND HEARTACHES WITHIN ITS TIGHTLY-BOUND JOURNALS.
>> YOU SEE HOW MANY COMPOSITION NOTEBOOKS ARE IN THERE, AND EVEN
CHILDREN'S WRITINGS ARE JUST THE BEST.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JENNA.
I AM 10 YEARS OLD.
I LIVE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO.
I HAVE BEEN GOING TO SUNSET BEACH FOR 10 YEARS, AND MY DAD
HAS BEEN GOING HERE FOR 40 YEARS.
>> FOR YEARS, NO ONE KNEW WHO PUT THE KINDRED SPIRIT MAILBOX
HERE UNTIL JUST RECENTLY.
>> AND I ALWAYS FELT LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT WENT DOWN THERE WERE
THE KINDRED SPIRITS.
>> FRANK NESMITH AND HIS LATE FORMER GIRLFRIEND, CLAUDIA,
PUT THE MAILBOX HERE OVER 35 YEARS AGO.
THE STORY GOES THAT FRANK FOUND CLAUDIA STRUGGLING TO PUT THE
MAILBOX UP, AND FRANK FOUND A PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD TO STEADY IT.
THAT'S WHEN THEY MET.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SAME OLD PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD I
FOUND 35 YEARS AGO AND PUT IT TOGETHER, AND IT'S STILL -- IT'S
STILL THERE.
>> THE TWO PLACED A NOTEBOOK INSIDE HOPING PEOPLE WOULD WRITE
IN IT, BUT FRANK SAYS THEY NEVER DREAMED OF HOW PEOPLE WOULD
CONNECT TO THIS PLACE.
>> SURPRISED TO PIECES.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW -- HOW -- I'D HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD TAKE
OFF LIKE IT DID.
>> PEOPLE COME TO WRITE ABOUT LOVE AND FAMILY, SILLINESS AND
JOY, BUT YOU'LL ALSO FIND SADNESS, LONGING, AND LOSS.
>> TODAY MARKS TWO YEARS SINCE GOD CALLED YOU HOME.
I MISS YOU TERRIBLY.
>> FRANK, NOW 88, SAYS HE CAN'T MAKE THE BIG WALK DOWN TO THE
MAILBOX ANYMORE, SO HE RELIES ON HELPERS LIKE LOCAL AUTHOR JACK
DeGROOT, WHO, ALONG WITH HER FRIEND SANDY, KEEPS THE KINDRED
MAILBOX GOING.
>> BUT I THINK PEOPLE JUST NEED A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO WHERE
THEY CAN SAY IT ALL.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO HOLD BACK.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE BEING JUDGMENTAL.
IT'S THESE ARE THEIR THOUGHTS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THEM
OUT THERE.
I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING SOMETHING TO HELP PEOPLE.
IF THE NOTEBOOKS WEREN'T COLLECTED, IF THEY WEREN'T
SAVED, THAT WOULD BE TERRIBLE.
>> HUNDREDS OF THE JOURNALS ARE NOW IN SPECIAL COLLECTION AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT WILMINGTON'S RANDALL LIBRARY,
WHERE THEIR UNIQUE VOICE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A HOME.
>> WE HAVE ALWAYS COME DOWN TO KINDRED SPIRIT FOR
CLARITY AND GUIDANCE.
YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF REUNIONS OF KINDRED SOULS, CROSSROADS IN
MY LIFE, AND NEW BEGINNINGS.
>> REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER ELSE HAPPENS AROUND HERE,
THE KINDRED SPIRIT, SHE'LL STILL BE ALIVE AND
KICKING WHEN I'M DEAD AND GONE.