On June 25, 2026, around 4 p.m. I got a call from Ring Finder John Finnerin, Oak Island NC asking if I’d take a call at Wrightsville Beach NC. John gave me a few details and I told him to go ahead and give the gentleman my phone number. I didn’t hear anything until the morning of 6/26/2026 when Jack called me asking if I could help. At the time, I was driving to another search and I asked him a few details, like where he lost it, wet or dry sand. He stated dry sand, and I asked him if there was any chance of it getting wet, in which he stated no. I asked him to send me the info on the area with an address. I also told him that as soon as I finished the search I was going to I’d let him know. After a successful search, I headed towards Wrightsville Beach and started contemplating what was ahead. Traffic started getting heavy and I thought today being Friday, tourist are coming and going. Parking at the beach would be non-existent and the beach would be crowded. I called Jack and explained my concerns to him and that I was going to hold off until later in the afternoon to go. He understood and agreed. Meanwhile Jack had sent me the beach access number with pictures including a Google map where he had drawn the suspected loss area.
I decided to leave my house around 5 p.m. and make the hour and a half drive, arriving between 7 and 7:15. Everything was working as planned until I tried to find a place to park when I got there. The crowds had moved from the beach to the restaurants and there was still no parking. All the parking at Wrightsville Beach is metered street parking until 8 p.m. so I just kept driving in circles hoping for something. I finally found a spot closer than I thought I would and took it. There was still 15 minutes of pay parking, so I took a chance and didn’t pay the $6 an hour. I found the beach access Jack gave me and took and sent a picture to Jack to show him I was there. When I got out on the beach I looked at the photos Jack sent and set up my search area. About half way through, I took a quick break. As I’m standing there, I see a family with about 20 Adults and kids combined. The adults lined the kids up in two lines to have an egg toss. Unfortunately they were spread out in the exact area I needed to search. So for about 30 minutes or so I stood there watching kids throwing eggs at each other, meanwhile I was losing daylight. When they finished and headed back to their rentals, I picked up where I had left off. It wasn’t long afterwards I hit a solid target that I knew was a gold ring. I scooped up the sand holding the ring, shook it out and there was a gold ring in the scoop. From the description Jack gave me, I knew I had his ring. I took a quick picture of me holding his ring with a text saying, “Yours??” and sent it to him. He immediately responded, Yes!!! I told him I’d get it in the mail to him that Monday and asked for his address, which he supplied. Monday, I got it in the mail and he is supposed to get it by Thursday.
He got the ring in the mail as scheduled and today, Sunday he sent me the pictures I requested. This was a great ending to an almost tragic loss.
Jack – Thank you for allowing me to help find your lost wedding band.
Jim
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