Man finds urn full of ashes left on his porch

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Johnstown man opened his front door to find an urn full of ashes on his doorstep.

A gold box was left on John Cenc's porch on Saturday morning.

Inside the box was an urn, and inside the urn Cenc found a plastic bag filled with ashes.

A note also was included.

"It said, 'Michelle and Dread, your better half remains,'" Cenc told WJAC.

The name on top of the urn was John Hardison.

Cenc said he has no idea who Hardison was or how the man's ashes ended up on his doorstep.

"It's definitely a unique situation. It's the first time it's happened in the 17 years I have been here," said Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees.

Records indicate that Hardison died of natural causes in 2009.

“I’ve never heard of anything like this before,” Cenc said.

Lees is trying to contact Hardison's family.  If he cannot find them, the cremated remains will be taken to Potter’s Field in Ebensburg.

Cox Media Group