Fresno veteran’s custom cane found after Costco visit in Clovis

A custom-made wooden cane belonging to a 90-year-old Air Force veteran and retired Fresno police lieutenant was found after it disappeared during a Costco trip in Clovis, ending a search that had drawn local attention across Fresno County.

The cane was not just a walking aid. Family members said it held deep personal significance for the veteran, a man whose years of service in the Air Force and later with the Fresno Police Department made the handmade piece part of his identity as much as part of his daily routine.

The cane went missing during the shopping trip at Costco in Clovis, and by July 21 the family had turned publicly to the community for help getting it back. The appeal centered on the loss of a custom wooden item that could not be replaced by buying another cane off a shelf, because the craftsmanship and the memories attached to it carried the real value.

That public call for help quickly became a local story, with attention spreading through Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley. The recovery came after the cane had been missing for a couple of weeks, and it was later reported found and returned to the veteran.

For the family, the return mattered because the cane served as both a practical mobility aid and a handmade reminder of a long life of service. In a region where military veterans, retired first responders and their families are part of the community’s fabric, the recovery of one small wooden cane became a matter of dignity as well as relief.