Edmonton man attracts imposters, global fame in search for ex whose Christmas gift is unopened after 47 years

After an unopened Christmas gift earned him 15 minutes of fame, Edmontonian Adrian Pearce has still not found his long-lost ex-girlfriend but has receivedinteresting overtures from some strange imposters.

Pearce rose to international fame this holiday season for keeping an unopened Christmas gift given to him by a girl named Vicki his first serious girlfriend who dumped him 47 years ago.

Since his story went international, three women have come forward claiming to be his old flame.

"I figure these people aren't who they say they are, and they can't answer my questions," Pearce said in an interview with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM on Tuesday.

• Edmonton man keeps unopened Christmas gift from girl who dumped him 47 years ago

Pearce has questioned the strangers aboutold geology teachers and old dates. No onehasbeen able to accurately answer.

Pearce suspects he's attracted a few catfish.

"They know they would be outed the minute they gave me the wrong answer," said Pearce. "I want to see if they are bona fide."

The now infamouspresent, dog-eared and tattered, was given to Pearcein 1970when he was a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at George S. Henry Secondary School in Don Mills in suburban Toronto.

It was just a few days before Christmas, and Pearce was looking forward to the holidayswhen Vicki broke up with him, just before handing him a small gift, wrapped in shiny blue paper.

Pearce was so upset that day, he vowed to neveropen the present. And he never has.

For years, Pearce continued puttingthe present under the tree, even after he got married and had children.

Pearce'sstrange tale of stubbornness went international after getting picked up by journalists in Edmonton a few days before Christmas.

A moron, a heartbroken bloke

The story has made headlines in the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Englandand the United States, where the New York Post headlined his story:"Wife stays with moron who put unopened gift from ex under the tree for 47 years".

Pearce is taking all the publicity, even thatless-than-polite headlines, in stride.

"I thought that was funny. They've got to sell newspapers, and get people to look at their website, so calling me a moron didn't affect me at all," said Pearce, a veterancameraman in the city.

"I mean, the English called me a 'Heartbroken bloke.' They've got to do what they have to and I didn't take offence."

Pearce can't quite understand why people are so captivated by his 47-year-old gift saga, but thinks it may have something to do with hope.

"It's pretty funny. It does surprise me that it went that far, that people were that interested," he said.

"There's so much crappy news out there. This isn't fake news. This is real news and this is a story that could have a happy ending."

Christmas wouldn't be the same without it- Adrian Pearce

Pearce still hopes to find Vicki. He's tried contacting her through friendsand old phone numbers, to no avail.

If they do reconnect, he wants them to open the gift together on the"50th anniversary" of their breakup. If that doesn't happen, he said the experience has still been a positive one. It hashelped him reconnect with other friends and schoolmates from his past.

"The icing on the cake, so to speak, would be finding this woman and having her join the celebration," Pearcesaid.

If Vicki never surfaces, Pearcesaid he would prefer to leave his present, and its faded wrapping paper, untouched.

Pearce, his children, andhis slightly beleaguered wifehave all come to appreciate the mystery of it all.

"I will still pull it out every Christmas, althoughmy wife doesn't let it go under the tree anymore and hasn't for quite some time," said Pearce with a chuckle.

"I get a lot of pleasure looking at it and not opening it. It's become such a habit after 47 years, Christmas wouldn't be the same without it."