In this 1971 photo, Richland Township police captain Tony Palm Sr., speaks with young Bernie Imgrund after reuniting her with her family. Courtesy photo

One of Bernadette “Bernie” Imgrund’s earliest memories — being left behind at a Johnstown department store when she was 3 years old — will come full circle Monday when she meets former Richland Township Police Capt. Tony Palm Sr., who reunited her with her family nearly 50 years ago.

The two are set to meet at Palm’s room at Laurel View Village in Davidsville, Somerset County, Monday afternoon.

Palm, 90, included Imgrund’s return in a book he recently wrote and published with his son, Tony Palm Jr. The younger Palm found Imgrund via social media.

“I’m excited to meet him,” Imgrund, 53, said Thursday, while sitting on the porch of the Altoona home she shares with her partner, Randy Leonard.

“I don’t like to be the center of attention,” Imgrund said.

“When I told his daughter (Diane Little of Westmont) that, she laughed and said her dad enjoys being the center of attention and has no problem talking to people,” Imgrund said.

Palm’s gregariousness made the hour-long separation from her family less frightening, Imgrund said.

She remembers it being late fall or early winter when the family traveled from their home in the Dutch Corner section of Bedford County to Glosser Brothers in Johnstown.

Imgrund’s mother died from ovarian cancer when she was just four months old and left her father, Francis, with eight children — three under the age of 5. Relatives cared for the youngest three, Imgrund said. After living with an aunt and uncle in Camp Hill, she returned to her father’s care around her third birthday.

“I think we were clothes shopping for either back-to-school or for Christmas,” Imgrund said. “I remember crying to the sales clerk that I lost my daddy. Not that he lost me, but that I lost him. I remember taking a ride in a police car, too.”

Times were different in 1971 — cellphones, seat belts and child safety seats weren’t in use.

“It blows my mind that my dad got all seven kids in the car and didn’t realize I was missing,” Imgrund said. “I used to tease him about it — especially when I was a teenager.”

When the family realized they’d left her behind, they returned to the store and the store manager told them she’d been taken to the police station.

While she waited at the police station, Palm — then a father of five — kept Imgrund company.

A Johnstown newspaper reporter happened to be at the police station and snapped a photo of the curly-haired tyke and the jovial policeman right before her father arrived to pick her up.

“I remember my father scooped me up and gave me a big hug,” Imgrund said. “I don’t remember much about the ride home — I think I fell asleep,” she said.

A framed copy of the newspaper photo with its caption is treasured by Imgrund.

Tony Palm Jr. of Sterling, Virginia, used the photo on the cover of a book he helped his father write, titled “My Life in Stories.” The book is available on Amazon.

Imgrund is looking forward to receiving a signed copy of Palm’s book Monday.

Palm Sr. said he’s lost count of how many books he’s signed but said this one will be special because he looks at the original photo of them many times a day as it hangs in his room.

Reuniting the Imgrunds became the most memorable lost child incident he assisted with during his 35-year career, he said.

“I could feel this vibration go through me when I was meeting her. And, it’s there every time I look at the picture of us … it’s a great feeling,” Palm said, adding he can’t envision the child as a 53-year-old because in his mind, she’s still three.

“I’ll be surprised. I just hope she won’t be insulted when I ask for a hug.”