Newspaper photographer Mike Valeri thought he had a good shot of a cloudy sunset over Padanaram Harbor. Readers of The Standard-Times of New Bedford saw something more heavenly.
Laura Morse called the newsroom to congratulate Valeri for capturing an angel floating in the clouds.Valeri hadn't noticed the angelic figure before but was swayed when he checked his negatives and the image seemed even clearer.
The newspaper ran the photo again on Oct. 18 and asked readers what they thought.
Valeri said one woman thanked him for taking the photo, saying it reminded her of the spirit she claims she saw leaving her young daughter as she died last year. Another couple wanted to send it to a sick priest friend in St. Louis.
"It made a lot of people happy," said Valeri, who has taken photos for the paper for 18 years.
The paper has been flooded with requests for copies of the photograph. Proceeds will go toward a Christmas fund for needy families.