Carter Roekle, Author at The Ring Finders

LOST RING FOUND MONTICELLO, INDIANA

  • from Carmel (Indiana, United States)
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As summer arrives in Indiana, more people are heading to lakes and beaches, which also means an increase in lost jewelry and wedding rings. Many of the calls I receive begin after someone tries to rent a metal detector and quickly realizes how difficult underwater recoveries can be. My most recent hunt was no exception. I received a call from a couple who lost a ring in Monticello, Indiana, and despite the drive from my home base in Carmel, I was ready to take on the challenge.

Derick and his wife were visiting a friend’s lake house to enjoy a relaxing day on the water when she slipped while boarding the boat and fell into the frigid lake. Although shaken up but otherwise okay, she later realized her wedding ring was missing. After searching the cabin, they concluded the ring must have slipped off during the fall. Hoping to recover it quickly, Derick decided to rent a metal detector and search for the ring himself that same evening. After two exhausting hours searching underwater with goggles, flashlights, and the rented metal detector, they were left discouraged with no sign of the ring.

That’s when Derick found Lost and Found Ring and gave me a call. The next evening, I made the trip to the lake, suited up in a thick wetsuit, and began the search. The area was littered with junk, metal dock posts, and an aluminum jet ski lift that created heavy interference for my detector. After carefully scanning the area and isolating the best signal, I dug my first solid target, and there it was. Derick and his wife were overjoyed to have the ring safely back on her finger. Stories like this are exactly why I do what I do. If you lose a ring, save yourself the frustration and expense of renting a metal detector and call a professional first.

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FAMILY HEIRLOOM RING FOUND IN WATERFALL

  • from Carmel (Indiana, United States)
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LOST RING, CARMEL, IN

I had recently moved to Carmel, IN, and was itching to take on my next ring recovery. Not long after, I received a call from Dylan, who had lost no ordinary wedding ring. It had belonged to his grandfather, who had it crafted from the wedding rings of his own parents, Dylan’s great-grandparents. Generations of family history were tied into this single band. The ring slipped off at Hueston Woods State Park in Ohio, beneath a small waterfall pool where family and friends were escaping the heat.

The moment the ring was lost was chaotic and memorable. A group of kids upstream had been exploring the shallow river when they spotted a water snake and began chasing it, right toward the parents. The snake splashed into the pool, prompting a quick scramble to the surface. After nearly escaping, Dylan realized his ring was missing. Devastated, he returned the following week with a rented metal detector; however, his search was interrupted by the same snake!

Recovering the ring wouldn’t be simple. Since the ring had been lost in a state park where metal detecting is typically prohibited, I first contacted park staff and received written permission. I began the search in the pool and quickly realized I wouldn’t be able to dig due to the shale rock bottom. I had to resort to diving with a mask and retrieve every signal by hand. After several dives and plenty of lures, coins, and bits of trash, no ring was in sight. Near the edge of the pool, the detector finally gave a strong signal. I lifted a large flat stone, and there it was!

Handing the ring back to Dylan and seeing the relief on his face is something I will never forget. Recoveries like this remind me that sometimes we return more than a lost ring. We return a piece of a family’s story.

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