Ricki Lake Connects With Long-Lost Family Photos After Artist’s Pasadena Flea Market Find

Artist Patty Scanlon bought a box of vintage photos at the Pasadena City College Flea Market on Dec. 7 and recognized Ricki Lake in several images. Scanlon posted the pictures on social media and quickly heard from Lake, leading to a joint Instagram Live on Dec. 8 to share the story. The box included baby photos of Lake’s son Milo and a postmarked envelope with an old New York City address tied to Lake. Scanlon suggested the photos may have surfaced via an estate sale, though the exact path to the flea market remains unclear. Lake and Scanlon arranged an in-person handoff in Los Angeles, and Scanlon said she plans to use the images as references for a painting.