Love story in East Lansing, Michigan has happy ending

  • from Manistee (Michigan, United States)
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Drainage ditch at left, walking path at right, ring found in tall grass.

I recieved a call from Russ VanMaele, an Undergrad student at Michigan State, whos girlfriend lost her silver ring with a Tourquoise stone. He said the ring had a lot of sentimental value and wanted to find it for his girlfriend.

It was a stormy week and the running path and drainage ditch that runs along side it was flooding over the path. The young lovers were playing in muddy knee deep water after the storm, with wet hands her ring fell into the water. At that moment Russ had the wherewithall to turn around and note the spot where it dropped was between the ditch and the path and marked by two trees across the path.  

I met Russ at Abbot Place Apartments a couple days after his call and after showing me the area I went to work. I used my Bounty Hunter Time Ranger but wasn’t comfortable in the high Elephant grass so I got out my CZ21 which was heavier and has a 10 inch coil. After mowing down  the tall grass with my feet and hands and pushing the coil in between heavy clumps of grass I heard a faint beep and started cutting grass and digging up an inch of mud and there it was. It took about twenty minutes to find the ring but I was covered with at least 50 mosquito bites, one cut finger from a sharp piece of grass and sweat from head to toe.

I went over to Russ who was doing some paperwork on his computer for school and showed him the ring. His great big grin was my immediate reward and he said I can’t believe you found it. I said it is amazing that he thought of looking on the internet and than finding me and me driving 50 miles to the center of Michigan to a drainage ditch and finding the ring.

I drove off and saw Russ talking to his girlfriend on his cell and he was still smiling. He waved goodbye. Russ will email me a picture of his girlfriend getting her ring back and putting it on the Book of Smiles.

1 Comment »

One Reply to “Love story in East Lansing, Michigan has happy ending”

  1. jill hagenbus says:

    My name is Jill, I’m Russ’ girlfriend who you met out in East Lansing yesterday.
    I just really felt the strong need to thank you myself for the amazing work you
    did. The ring you located has invaluable sentiment to me. It belonged to my
    grandmother, who passed away last September 1st, 2011. Her and her best friend,
    Ann, got these matching rings in high school. And although it may not be worth
    more than a few dollars, it means the world to me. Losing it was devastating,
    and every time it has crossed my mind in the past three months since it was
    lost, I have gotten seriously upset. Seeing that ring yesterday gave me a
    different reason to cry, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. I still can’t
    believe it! I would like to truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for your
    perseverance and dedication to your trade. I’m amazed, I can’t thank you and
    Russ enough for the greatest surprise EVER.

    We’ll be sure to keep your information, and share it with high recommendations.
    Best of luck in all of your adventures,
    Jill

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