Airbnb mystery solved after family finds decade-old photo of themselves on rental wall; 'We were creeped out,' say sisters after bizarre discovery
What began as a bizarre discovery during a family vacation has now been explained after two sisters from Utah went viral for finding an old photo of their own family hanging on the wall of an Airbnb rental in California.
Libby Birrell, 19, and Aubrey Birrell, 26, were staying with around 30 relatives at an Airbnb in Oceanside, San Diego, in early July to celebrate their grandfather's 80th birthday when they noticed a framed aerial beach photograph that looked strangely familiar.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, the sisters recalled being stunned when they realised the people in the picture were, in fact, members of their own family.
"The moment we saw it, we made everyone come up and look, and they were all in awe," Aubrey said. "I started FaceTiming my friends because they all know my family. They were in shock, too. It was crazy."
'We were creeped out'The unexpected discovery initially left the family unsettled.
"The first time we were sleeping, I will say we were creeped out," Aubrey admitted.
She added, "It felt really strange. Did they know we were coming? We were just feeling a little confused, a little eerie, but also it was just shocking."
In the now-viral TikTok video, Aubrey points to the photograph and says, "We're looking at this picture, and my dad is like, 'This looks like me.' I'm like, 'Dad, what?'... No, this is my dad. That's my sister, Libby, from 10 years ago, and that's Brady, my brother, 10 years ago."
Libby can also be heard saying, "We have those swimsuits. We are literally in this picture."
The mystery explainedCurious about how their family photo had ended up in the vacation rental, the sisters asked the Airbnb host , who revealed that the home's decorator is a San Diego-based photographer known for taking aerial beach photographs and using them as decorative artwork in vacation homes.
The sisters believe the image was captured about a decade ago during a family trip to either Mission Beach or Imperial Beach while attending their brother's soccer tournament.
"We remember the swimsuits. We remember the time. We're pretty confident," Aubrey said.
"She must have captured us when we were there," she added, referring to the photographer.
Social media reactsThe viral TikTok sparked thousands of reactions, with some viewers joking that it sounded like the beginning of a horror movie.
"A lot of people were telling us we should leave, that it was like the start of a horror movie," Aubrey recalled.
Others shared similar experiences of unexpectedly spotting themselves in framed photos, brochures or advertisements in different places.
Some commenters even claimed they had seen what appeared to be the same beach photograph displayed in vacation rentals and homes in other states, including Florida, although those claims remain unverified.
Libby Birrell, 19, and Aubrey Birrell, 26, were staying with around 30 relatives at an Airbnb in Oceanside, San Diego, in early July to celebrate their grandfather's 80th birthday when they noticed a framed aerial beach photograph that looked strangely familiar.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, the sisters recalled being stunned when they realised the people in the picture were, in fact, members of their own family.
"The moment we saw it, we made everyone come up and look, and they were all in awe," Aubrey said. "I started FaceTiming my friends because they all know my family. They were in shock, too. It was crazy."
'We were creeped out'The unexpected discovery initially left the family unsettled.
"The first time we were sleeping, I will say we were creeped out," Aubrey admitted.
She added, "It felt really strange. Did they know we were coming? We were just feeling a little confused, a little eerie, but also it was just shocking."
In the now-viral TikTok video, Aubrey points to the photograph and says, "We're looking at this picture, and my dad is like, 'This looks like me.' I'm like, 'Dad, what?'... No, this is my dad. That's my sister, Libby, from 10 years ago, and that's Brady, my brother, 10 years ago."
Libby can also be heard saying, "We have those swimsuits. We are literally in this picture."
The mystery explainedCurious about how their family photo had ended up in the vacation rental, the sisters asked the Airbnb host , who revealed that the home's decorator is a San Diego-based photographer known for taking aerial beach photographs and using them as decorative artwork in vacation homes.
The sisters believe the image was captured about a decade ago during a family trip to either Mission Beach or Imperial Beach while attending their brother's soccer tournament.
"We remember the swimsuits. We remember the time. We're pretty confident," Aubrey said.
"She must have captured us when we were there," she added, referring to the photographer.
Social media reactsThe viral TikTok sparked thousands of reactions, with some viewers joking that it sounded like the beginning of a horror movie.
"A lot of people were telling us we should leave, that it was like the start of a horror movie," Aubrey recalled.
Others shared similar experiences of unexpectedly spotting themselves in framed photos, brochures or advertisements in different places.
Some commenters even claimed they had seen what appeared to be the same beach photograph displayed in vacation rentals and homes in other states, including Florida, although those claims remain unverified.
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