Paul Humphreys, Author at The Ring Finders | Page 3 of 12

It was Saturday, November 5th 2022. Married only two weeks, Illinois resident, Ben D., was enjoying an afternoon with family and friends at a cottage and pond at the back of his childhood farm. Surrounded by several hundred open acres of harvested soybean fields, the location provided a perfect launch site for model rockets, a hobby enjoyed by Ben’s family. But the fun was short lived when Ben’s 14-karat wedding ring vanished.

But it wasn’t just any wedding ring. The ring was gifted by Ben’s grandfather prior to his passing away 4 weeks earlier. Indeed, a memorial service was planned in a few days. Now, the precious ring was lost!

The ring was fitting loosely on Ben’s finger and so he was planning to have it resized. Being newly married, however, he wanted to wear it. Ben thought for sure he would feel it coming off if that happened. Now, despite their best search efforts, the ring was nowhere to be found. Then two photographs showed up.

The photos were taken 5-minutes apart. The first showed the ring on Ben’s hand while the second photo revealed it missing. This proved to be solid forensic evidence of the general area when and where the ring had to have been lost. But the mud and soybean stocks provided the perfect hiding place for Ben’s ring.

As it turned out, Ben knew exactly who to call for help. A family member had previously lost a valuable wristwatch in a motorcycle accident. The watch was recovered by a member of The Ring Finders directory of metal detecting specialists. The memory buoyed Ben’s hopes. And so he reached out to The Ring Finders once again.

I received a brief text from Ben the next morning and within a few hours was on my way to Illinois from my home in Waukesha, WI. Ben met me by the barn and we drove back to the pond location. The vastness of the fields all around amplified the magnitude of the task at hand. “How on earth does one find a postage-stamp-sized ring in all that area,” I mused. But the two photos, combined with forensic analysis, state-of-the-art metal detecting equipment and 40+ years’ experience were no match for the lost ring.

The conductivity numbers for medium grade gold on my controller bore witness to the ring’s presence, barely visible among the soybean stalks. Holding up the ring, Ben couldn’t help observe, “That’s two for two for The Ring Finders!” I responded, “Don’t take this the wrong way, Ben, but I really hope we never see you again!” 🙂 The relief and joy on Ben’s face tells the rest of this emotional story!

It took the cooperation of several individuals to successfully recover Claudia Roedl’s cherished Arizona State University 2013 Class Ring. The 10 Karat gold ring went missing late Saturday afternoon, October 15th.

Claudia, an Elm Grove, Wisconsin resident and volunteer firefighter, was doing some fall clean up around her house. Three large bags of leaves and grass clippings bore evidence of a hard day’s work. It was towards the end of the day. The local recycle station would soon be closing. But Claudia made the short trip just in time and remembered shaking out the contents of the large bags into the heap of vegetative debris. It was on her way home that Claudia was horrified to discover her treasured ring missing!

Her mind went into immediate rewind mode remembering moments during the day when she got on and off her lawn tractor, filling recycle bags, raking and working to prepare for the coming winter. Most of all, Claudia pictured the formidable mound of foliage at the recycle station. Deep down, she fought hard against the idea that her ring, tangible evidence of four hard-earned education degrees, was lost forever.

I received a text message from Claudia that same evening. She had started to investigate renting a metal detector when she stumbled across The Ring Finder’s directory of metal-detecting specialists. Would I help? And where to start?

It was not clear whether the ring was lost at Claudia’s home or at the recycle station. Time was not so much an issue if the ring was somewhere in her yard, but if it was buried in the recycle mound, the clock was ticking… and fast!

A succession of phone calls through the night with some people in high places, made it possible for an attendant to open the gates early the next day, on a Sunday. Firefighters certainly do look out for each other!

Any hope that the pile of debris had been left undisturbed from the previous afternoon was shattered when we saw that the mound had been consolidated by a well-meaning worker using a 154-horsepower Hyundai loader with its 3-cubic yard bucket. Finding a postage-stamp-sized piece of metal in amongst such a massive heap of vegetative material was akin to finding a needle in a proverbial haystack. And was the ring even there?

The task was made significantly easier when a site superintendent showed up with what can only be described as every metal-detectorist’s dream tool—the Hyundai loader! Working together we used a divide-and-conquer approach, sifting through one bucket at a time. It was nearly an hour later and barely half way into the mound when I picked up a solid signal in my headphones. The data on my controller was likewise promising. But when I began to investigate, the signal vanished. Try as I might, I could not find it again.

Similar situations occur, I’ve learned over the years, when searching for targets under water. Gold, being a heavy, dense, metal, tends to dive when the area around it is disturbed. The porous vegetation, once moved, would allow a ring like Claudia’s to drop into the crevices beneath. I continued with this premise, carefully removing layer after layer of vegetation in hopes of ‘catching up’ with the target. Eventually the signal appeared again. And probing ever so delicately into the foliage, Claudia’s beloved class ring flashed its presence!

Claudia’s smile tells the rest of the story. But I would be amiss if I did not recognize the team of individuals whose cooperation and care for a fellow firefighter, made it possible. Sometimes it takes a team! As for me, I gotta get me one of those Hyundai loaders!

TESTIMONIAL: On October 15th while disposing of multiple barrels of leaves at the Village recycle yard, my graduate ring fell off. This was the beginning of the season so the pile was relatively small. The plan was to buy a metal detector but thought better of it due to my inexperience. Shot a text to Paul Humphreys and we met at the recycle yard the next am. With the assistance of my fire chief, we were able to get access before the public. We raked, shoveled, and even had a firefighter show up to use the backhoe to flatten out the pile that grew considerably since my departure the prior afternoon. It was a dirty, wet, smelly and exhausting task but Paul, myself and my fellow firefighters stayed with it. Paul found the ring – this ring was the culmination of (4) graduate degrees and could not be replaced. I am forever grateful for this man – Paul, you are one of a kind. CLAUDIA ROEDL (CLIENT)

An afternoon of playing Bocce Ball ended on a devastating note when Hartland, WI resident, Morgan, realized her engagement ring was missing from her hand. She and her fiancé looked and looked all over their lawn and garden area where they had played but the delicate ring was nowhere to be found.

Desperate, Morgan scoured the internet for a metal detector. That’s when she discovered The Ring Finder’s directory of metal-detecting specialists and my name. I received a phone call from Morgan asking if I might be able to help. After asking many forensic-type questions about her activities and the circumstances leading up to the loss, I arranged to meet Morgan on location that same afternoon.

The search was a long shot. The ring could have been anywhere, including inside the house. But one tiny bit of evidence surfaced in our conversation which proved to be a game changer. Morgan had taken the ring off her hand just prior to playing Bocce Ball. She had placed it into a pocket of her sweatshirt for safekeeping. At one point she tucked her cellphone into the same pocket and remembered feeling the ring when she did so. It was clear the ring was in her possession as she exited the garage to go outside. The ring had to be somewhere in the grass or garden where they played. But it was a very large yard area. Where to begin? Sometimes there is very little useful information for determining where to start a search. And so I made a random decision to begin searching at one end of the yard.

Morgan hovered nervously as my detector barked out the presence of metal in the ground. It would take some careful analysis of all the signals to isolate the presence of a petite gold ring. As it turned out, I was surprised to see and hear a signal consistent with Morgan’s ring hardly 15 minutes into the search. Visually, I didn’t initially see the ring in the thick grass. But investigating further, Morgan’s beautiful ring came to the light of day again! Morgan preferred not to have her picture posted here, but I can tell you, the smile on her face was priceless!

If you or someone you know has lost a ring or other jewelry item, contact a member of The Ring Finders. Don’t lose hope. They just might be able to put a smile on your face!

2020 was a rough year, but Judith and Dewey Sherman, married for over half a century, took comfort in knowing that they had each other.
That year, Dewey had lost his wedding ring while outside doing yard work near a lake. The ring that he had worn for over 60 years was gone. Dewey searched and searched, but his ring was nowhere to be found.

It could have been anywhere—under the murky depths of the nearby lake, lying between a crevice of rocks on the shore, buried in the grass or soil. Perhaps a crow or blackbird carried the ring far away. Crushed, Dewey resigned that he would likely never find his ring again.

Two years passed, and Judith had become ill. In 2022, she was receiving care at home from a St. Croix Hospice team including Chaplain Paul Humphreys. In addition to being a hospice chaplain, Paul also happens to be an expert metal detectorist, and he’s been recovering long-lost valuables for more than 40 years all across the globe.

One morning, during a spiritual care visit with Judith and Dewey, Paul learned about Dewey’s lost ring and knew he wanted to help.

With the couple’s permission, Paul returned to their home later that same day, offered up a silent prayer and set to work searching under the water with his SCUBA-rated equipment. A myriad of signals from the lake’s murky bottom bore testimony to decades of human presence—rusty iron, nuts, bolts, tin, nails, beer cans and a century-old spoon. But, after an hour of searching in the water, Dewey’s wedding ring failed to surface.

Moving onto the shore, an overwhelming array of metallic signals chirped their presence in Paul’s headphones. Ferreting a gold ring out from all the noise was challenging, even for someone with his knowledge and expertise.

After nearly three hours of searching, a faint signal on Paul’s detector begged investigation. Cutting a plug of grass about six inches deep, Paul turned the sod over and exposed the soil and roots beneath. The metal detector’s signal was now clear and crisp. Breaking open the clump, Dewey’s wedding ring suddenly flashed golden in the evening sun.

Returning to the house, Chaplain Paul discreetly slipped the ring to Judith. “I want you to be the one to give it to him,” he told her.
When Dewey appeared, Judith asked him to come and sit beside her. With her face radiating love and grace, she held out her hand to Dewey and opened it to reveal the ring she had given him 62 years before. The emotions of that moment, Paul said, “…were beyond words!”

62 years ago, that same ring had been exchanged along with their vows. Dewey and Judith had promised to love and cherish each other all their lives, “for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.” Through Judith’s declining health, Dewey remained by her side until she passed away peacefully in September 2022.

Like Dewey’s ring, quality time with our loved ones is precious. Chaplain Paul and the caregivers at St. Croix Hospice dedicate themselves to helping patients and their loved ones make the most out of each and every moment.

This story is shared in loving memory of Judith Sherman.

For media inquiries or more information on St. Croix Hospice, contact Kelly Buethe at kbuethe@stcroixhospice.com or 612-409-0910.

Sunday, September 4, 2022, found Minneapolis couple and their family, Jason & Kate Helquist, enjoying Lake Butte des Morts in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It was a perfect weekend away with friends.

Anchored off shore in a boat, the family had taken to swimming in the lake shallows. But delight turned to disappointment when Jason’s platinum wedding ring went missing. He was performing a double-arm backstroke, churning up the water in a splashy escape from his teen-aged daughter’s playful attack. The force pulled the otherwise snug-fitting ring from his finger.

Kate contacted me the next day when she discovered The Ring Finder’s directory of metal-detecting specialists. Who knew!

Technology can be so helpful. Kate sent me a marked-up Google satellite image of the location. Calculating the search area, I determined it covered nearly the size of ten volleyball courts. On land, no problem. In water, definitely more challenging! I also learned the water was about 3 ½ to 4 feet deep, making a wading search feasible. However, finding a postage-stamp-sized object in a vast lake would require patience and an extra-careful grid search. There was little room for error.

We arranged to meet early, Wednesday, September 14. Kate left her home in Minneapolis in the wee small hours of the morning to make the 3 ½ hour drive to Oshkosh. I drove 1 ½ hours from my home. Upon arrival, Kate expressed how she was at peace about the outcome either way, but I could sense deep down she was hoping for a miracle. Clearly, it was more than just a ring.

A kind land owner granted access to the area from his lakefront home. Once in the water, I set out four marker buoys and began a systematic search using the latest water-detecting equipment from XP Deus. The usual targets were retrieved, pull tabs, bottle caps, fishing lures, coins, boat parts, shotgun brass from long-ago duck hunters. Lake bottoms tell so many stories. However, Jason’s ring eluded discovery.

Kate and a friend waited expectantly on shore. After three-plus meticulous hours, I consulted with Kate again and we agreed to expand the search area. It was not long after, Jason’s wedding ring lay glistening in my scoop!

Gear in tow, I waded back to the boat dock where Kate met me. Retrieving the ring from my pouch, I reached up from the water and placed it into her trembling hand. Tears flowed—the most-happy kind! A FaceTime call to Jason in Minneapolis revealed a smile that, like Kate’s, confirmed the deep love represented by a well-worn, lost-but-now-found wedding ring!

If you or someone you know has lost a ring, don’t give up hope. Let a metal-detecting specialist at TheRingFinders.com put a smile on your face!

A relaxing walk turned to panic the last day of August 2022. It happened when a bee suddenly buzzed Wauwatosa, WI resident, Jennifer Walker’s face as she neared a street corner. Impulsively, she removed her cap and used it to swat away the invading insect. Unfortunately, she brushed her ear in the process and dislodged her platinum/diamond earring. While the bee disappeared, so did her earring, a tenth-anniversary gift from her husband.

Jennifer, her husband and neighbors spent several hours on their knees combing through the grass and mulch in the area. The earring was simply gone. The frantic couple even considered renting a metal detector but were advised that such a small target would not likely register its presence. The next morning, I received a call from Jennifer and arranged to meet her right away.

Those familiar with metal detecting know how challenging it can be to find small stud earrings. The metallic volume is minimal. At times, it can take specialized equipment to register such a tiny target, especially when laying in certain positions. Using the matching earring, I was able to calibrate a detector that is normally used for locating placer gold, fine particles of gold in rocks and sand. The instrument is extremely sensitive but is also very small. It takes patience to cover the ground. I also used two other detection instruments including one that runs at a very high frequency and has a larger search coil. After nearly an hour of methodical searching, using three different machines, it seemed the earring was not where Jennifer thought it should be. And so, we expanded the search area.

A strip of grass on the opposite side of the walkway was systematically searched. Nearing the end of it, over thirty feet from where Jennifer did battle with the offending bee, a signal caught our joint attention. Upon closer examination, the precious earring came to light in the grass where it had landed the day before. Who knew it could have travelled so far! The smile on Jennifer’s face tells the rest of the story!

Sunday July 10th 2022, found Chesterfield, Missouri resident, Bill Thanner enjoying a welcome vacation with his wife and three children on the picturesque shores of Geneva Lake, near Fontana, Wisconsin. While snorkeling and diving for shells at Fontana Beach, Bill dropped some of the shells his children collected. It was when he reached down to grab them in chest-deep water, his platinum wedding ring slipped off his finger and disappeared into the murky water. Together, they tried snorkeling for the ring but it was nowhere to be found. Bill felt sickened to his stomach at the thought of losing his ring after 15 years of marriage. It was a sad drive home to Missouri.

Several days later, Bill’s mother, who lives some 800-miles away in the state of Georgia, heard a person on a local radio station talking about The Ring Finders metal-detecting services. She informed Bill, who in turn called me on Monday, July 25, a full two weeks after his ring went missing. Could I assist?

I arranged the 45-minute drive to Fontana Beach early the next morning. The beach was deserted at the time. Using markers Bill had sent to me via Google satellite maps, I systematically scoured the vicinity using my XP-Deus II SCUBA-rated detector. I found a collection of coins, a cross pendant and a cheap lady’s costume ring, but Bill’s platinum wedding band was nowhere to be found. I wondered, had someone already found it? After about an hour and half, I decided to expand the search area. That was when I heard a crisp signal in my headphones. The numbers on my controller screen told me the target was quite possibly Bill’s platinum wedding ring. As it turned out, it was!

I took some photos of the ring and texted them to Bill right away for identification purposes. Bill responded, “That’s it! Unbelievable… the Mayors Jewelry symbol and the missing ruby hole is mine for sure.”

I immediately mailed the ring to Bill from a Milwaukee post office the following morning. It arrived on Saturday, July 30th, just shy of three weeks since it disappeared in a Wisconsin lake. Bill texted, “Received! Unbelievable! Thank you!”

If you or someone you know has lost a ring, even years ago, chances are it might still be found. Don’t let its story end. Contact a member of The Ring Finders today.

Here in Southeastern Wisconsin USA, June 14th was the hottest day up to that point in 2022. The outside temperature gauge in my VW Tiguan showed 95-degrees Fahrenheit. That’s 35.5 degrees Celsius for the benefit of my family members and friends in Canada and Australia. Either way, it was a warm day for Wisconsin. And a good reason to be cooling off at the lake.

Franklin, Wisconsin resident, Niko Savic was doing just that with friends and their boats on a sandbar close to the shore of Browns Lake, near the picturesque town of Burlington. While standing in waist-deep water, a toss of a football was all it took to catapult his Tungsten Carbide wedding ring off his hand into the water’s murky depths. Friends quickly joined in the search using goggles and snorkeling gear but it was as though the Lake had swallowed Niko’s ring whole, never again to see the light of day.

The next morning, a kind and considerate lakefront property owner gave Niko permission to access the area from her home. Niko spent several hours searching carefully, but the ring was nowhere to be seen. That’s when his wife sent him a link to The Ring Finders Directory of metal detecting specialists and my contact information. He texted me and soon we were speaking on the phone and arranged to meet on location that same evening, unless the threat of a pending thunder storm would put the search at risk.

As it turned out, the weather cooperated and we arrived to clear skies. The usual boaters and lake lovers were gathering in the same location where Niko had been the night before. They were understanding of our mission and cooperated beautifully by giving us the space we needed to conduct the search. Indeed, they became our cheerleaders!

Typical of Wisconsin vacation lakes, the bottom was a minefield of metallic targets of every description. I ignored most of the signals, listening intently for the unique sound of tungsten carbide, a high-pitched but solid tone attuned to my ears over 40-plus years of underwater detecting. About 40 minutes into the search, I heard it. And Niko’s ring appeared shortly in my scoop!

Making my way towards Niko, he called out to me saying, “I think you are in the right area!” Little did he know I had his ring in my hand. I responded, “I think you are right, Niko. It is the right area!” Then I gave the ring to him.

That’s always the fun part. The jaw-dropping look of disbelief, the hugs, the high-fives, the raised beer cans and cheers and shouts of “congratulations” from the crowd that had gathered. It would all have made a heart-warming end to a televised docudrama. Wish you were there. But the smile on Niko’s face really tells the story!

My thanks goes to Niko’s wife who searched for and found me on the The Ring Finder’s Directory. And thanks to all the friends who moved their boats and gave us space in the water to search. And a special thanks to one very kind and considerate home owner who gave permission to access the area through her backyard. Success, sometimes, takes a team working together.

TESTIMONIAL: After searching for my ring for several hours the morning after losing it, I had little hope of finding it. After giving Paul a call, he assured me that it was possible. Paul took the job very seriously and met up with me that evening. Sitting down and talking to him afterwards assured me that not only was this service rewarding for him, but his life’s work is all about others. Amazing man, and amazing service! Niko Savic (Client)

The evening of June 9th found Damien Rushing reaching over the back of his boat as he neared shore on Eagle Lake, Wisconsin. As he did, the unthinkable happened! His 18k gold wedding ring slipped off his finger into the murky water. As his precious ring disappeared into the lake’s depths, it was like watching a slow-motion video with the sound turned off. Could it really be happening!

Despite Damien’s valiant attempts to retrieve his ring with the help of friends and strangers who came to his rescue, the ring seemed destined to remain forever hidden in the lake’s muddy crypt of secrets, never to see the light of day again.

Just after 5:00 a.m. the next morning, my phone let off a text-message alert. It was Damien. A long and sleepless night led to the discovery of my metal-detecting services @ The Ring Finders website directory. Could I help?

I rearranged my work schedule as a Hospice Chaplain and agreed to meet on location at Eagle Lake, a half-hour drive away. Damien was waiting for me @ 7:30 when I pulled into the parking lot close by the boat dock. The chilly morning, overcast sky, a light drizzle and the desperation on Damien’s face made our meeting a somber one at best.

I quickly donned my Minelab Excalibur underwater detector, gathered my extraction equipment and waded out into the area where Damien believed the ring had come off his hand. The lake bottom bore witness of years of human activity. Metallic signals, like a football stadium, competed for attention in my headphones. Additionally, a large retaining wall made of heavy iron was close by. Distinguishing a small gold-ring from amongst such a cacophony of sounds was challenging even with my 40-plus years of metal-detecting experience. Not to mention the deep mud.

Finally, after about an hour of eliminating targets in an especially “busy” patch of signals, Damien’s precious ring lay in my sieve, glistening once again in the light of day! And the smiles on both our faces tell the rest of the story!

TESTIMONIAL: Paul’s metal detecting skills and prompt attention are amazing. He took time out of his schedule to look for my lost ring on short notice. The area that the ring was lost was loaded with metal and underwater debris. The dark murky water reduced the visibility to only a few inches so I had little hope of seeing it they the water. I am forever grateful I found him on ring finders. Paul has a great personality, is passionate about his work, and has a very helping heart. Damien Rushing (Client)

On Thursday, May 26, 2022, thunder, lightning and torrents of rain joined forces to demand the attention of long-time Elm Grove, Wisconsin resident, Michael Kelnhofer.

As Michael looked out into the storm he suddenly remembered that one of the down spouts from his roof was plugged. Not wanting to risk a flooded basement, he sprang into action. Grabbing a ladder from the garage he raced outside and began removing wet leaves and debris from the rain gutter with his hand. He threw each handful out into the garden area behind his house. It was only after he retreated back inside that Michael realized his wedding ring was missing! But it wasn’t just any wedding ring. The ring belonged to his dear father who had passed away four years prior. It was a precious keepsake! Indeed, Michael’s mother had given it to him when he was married. Now it was gone!

Michael and his wife searched frantically. They tried using a metal detector but the ground only emitted confusing chirps and cackles. Michael even hired a company to check the underground drainage from the house to the road in case the ring had gone down the drain. All to no avail. That’s when I received a text message asking for help. But as it turned out, I was preparing to leave the country early the next morning and was unable to respond immediately as I normally would do. And so, I arranged to search for Michael’s ring upon my return.

On Saturday, June 4th, I met Michael at his residence. As with all searches, I take a forensic approach, asking lots of questions. He showed me where he obtained the ladder and the pathway he took and the general grass area where he had thrown the debris from the roof. I noted the presence of bushes and foliage in the vicinity, places a ring might have gotten hung up. It is a matter of systematically eliminating where the ring is not.

For those interested, on this search I used an XP Deus II detector and 9” Coil. I had pretty much searched the entire backyard area and was moving towards the side of his house when I encountered a signal consistent with a 14k ring. Parting the thick grass, I confirmed its presence!

I left the ring in its place and called Michael over. Giving him a hand-held probe (pin-pointer), the kind we use for isolating targets, I showed him how it responded to the wedding ring on my own hand. He was impressed. Then I directed him to use the probe and check the grass area around our feet. When the pin-pointer sounded off it didn’t take long for Michael to locate his precious keepsake. The smile on his face tells the rest of the story.

And it is those emotional moments that make ring finding so meaningful!

TESTIMONIAL: Paul, first I want to say thank you for finding my wedding ring. There aren’t many items I have of my father that means as much as his wedding ring. Thank you for taking the time to search my yard and most importantly being so passionate about finding my ring. Thanks again Michael