Great-grandmother loses cherished necklace worn for more than 40 years in Crystal Lake TJ Maxx store

A 98-year-old great-grandmother from the northwest suburbs is heartbroken after losing her cherished necklace, and her family hopes someone will find it.

Joy Wills has worn the necklace daily for more than 40 years. It's affectionately known as her "teething heart," due to the 32 tiny teeth marks left by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren on the oversized silver heart pendant.

"It was a treasure to me. It's not a big treasure to anybody else, and it's full of teeth marks," Wills said. "But I've lost it, and it's something I would appreciate having returned to me if anybody found it."

Wills said her late husband originally bought the necklace during a ski trip in Aspen, Colorado.

"It's special to the family, and of course, I'll never forget it, but I would love my family to have it if it's found," she said.

Wills' granddaughter, Erin Sheridan, said the necklace is special to multiple generations.

"This is special to the entire family, because all of us grandchildren, we know that either our teeth marks were in it or our children's teeth. Marks were in it," Sheridan said. "I have 10 kids. My 30-year-old son chewed on it when he was little, and my 1 1/2-year-old chewed on it as well."

Wills believes the necklace may have fallen off while trying on clothes at the TJ Maxx store in Crystal Lake, Illinois. 

"Probably pulling a sweater off my head," she said. "How I managed to keep it for all these years, I don't know, but it slipped away from me."

Employees at the TJ Maxx told CBS News Chicago they have not found the necklace in the store thus far.

Sheridan said she has posted a notice about the lost necklace to multiple northwest suburban message boards.

"We've driven the parking lot to see if it, you know, fell into a hood or something of hers, and then fell out getting into her car — and it has not shown up. I put it on the Cary chat, the Crystal Lake chat, and my daughter's mother-in-law reposted it in Mexico," Sheridan said. "We had a laugh about that one."

Wills' family hopes the photos they have shared will help bring back the cherished necklace, which they want to pass down to future generations of family members. 

Wills said she would be "happy to reward somebody" if they found the necklace and returned it.

"I would love to be able to give it to my granddaughter so she can wear it and cherish it," Wills said.

If anyone finds the necklace, they can reach out to the family at 815-687-0473.