Paul Humphreys, Author at The Ring Finders | Page 9 of 12

A football toss in the deep end of the swimming area near Big Foot Beach State Park on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, proved fatal for Josh Johnson’s titanium wedding ring. He felt it leave his hand but was helpless to grab it before it slipped beneath the lake’s surface. The water’s visibility was poor which made recovery next to impossible. A resident of Chicago, Josh had to leave for home the next day minus the ring on his finger. He despaired at the thought of it being lost forever. That’s when he discovered the ring finder’s directory of metal-detecting specialists online.

I received an email from Josh asking if I might do a search. Arriving at the location very early in the morning on the following Tuesday, I began a methodical search in the 5-foot deep swimming area. Just about an hour later, I heard the telltale pitch of titanium in my waterproof headphones. As the water filtered out of the sand scoop, Josh’s ring appeared as if greatly relieved to see the light of day once again.

When I arrived home, I carefully wrapped the ring in a padded envelope and mailed it on its way to one very relieved owner.

Mission accomplished! Josh, I’m so glad for the opportunity to find and return your ring. May its story continue for many years.

TESTIMONIAL

“Paul was a life saver! When I felt the ring come off my hand in the lake, I thought for sure it was gone forever. After my friends and I searched for over an hour as best we could in the sand below and came up empty, I had no hopes of ever finding my ring again. I count my lucky stars that I found Paul and within an hour after sending him an email, he had his plans in place to find my ring. In less than 24 hours, my ring was recovered and I breathed a huge sigh of relief! I live in Chicago, so Paul even went the extra mile to carefully ship my ring back to me, after traveling to Lake Geneva and gearing up to go underwater to help locate my missing ring. I can’t say enough how great this whole experience was…well, I mean…losing the ring in the first place wasn’t great, but Paul sure was! 🙂 Thanks again Paul!!”

A game of tackle football in knee-deep water ended on a down note when Oshkosh Wisconsin resident, Chandler, came up without his wedding ring. Everybody began searching but only a few coins were found; the ring had vanished. Compared to Lake Winnebago’s 215 square miles, a man’s wedding band is a small item indeed. A couple days later I received an email from Brooke, Chandler’s wife, asking if I would be willing to conduct a search. I agreed to drive up on Friday afternoon, an hour and a half from where I live in Waukesha.

Upon arrival I was warmly greeted by ‘Goose’, Chandler’s Italian Spinone. The centuries-old breed is renown for its bird-hunting prowess and for having human-like eyes that seemingly search deep into the crevices of one’s soul. Too bad he wasn’t trained to sniff out rings in water, I mused.

Chandler had his boat ready and so we soon arrived at the sandy shore where he thought the ring went missing. We searched for about 3 hours but were forced to abandon our efforts when a storm suddenly loomed threateningly on the horizon. We boated for cover even as the winds began churning the surface of Wisconsin’s largest inland lake.

A couple days later, on Sunday, July 23rd, my wife, Kathleen, and I headed northward once again to finish the search. I received kind permission to access the lake from ‘John’ the landowner whose house backed onto to the shore where Chandler’s ring was believed to be lost. John was most gracious!

After about 3 hours of scanning the sandy lake bottom the signal I was looking for showed up on my XP Deus detector. Moments later I extracted Chadler’s ring from a mass of zebra mussel shells in my scoop. The smile on the faces of Chandler and Brooke tell the rest of the story!

TESTIMONY:

“My husband and I are beyond thrilled with Paul Humphrey’s dedicated search to finding my husband’s wedding band in Lake Winnebago. Paul went above and beyond our expectations, coming back a second time to scour the area that he wasn’t able to search the first time around. As far as customer service goes, Paul gets our highest accolades. Thank you again Paul for generously donating your time to find my husband’s wedding band!” Brooke – Oshkosh, WI

Those of us listed on the directory for The Ring Finders can find a lot more than rings! Other valuables go astray, this as evidenced by the photo below. The items pictured were recovered at the same time that I was looking for a client’s lost wedding ring. These represent valuable property of another kind. Their owners no doubt still get a sick feeling when they think back to the time they first realized their possessions were missing. And so the next time you or someone you know loses valuable property, give me a call; I just might be able to help.

June 20th to 24th found South Milwaukee residents, Tim and Ashley, camped out at the Ford Festival Park near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They were taking in the Country USA Music Festival for 2017 attended by some 40,000 people. Unfortunately, rain had turned the campsites into a muddy mire. Then on Friday night the toss of a frisbee sent Ashley’s engagement ring flying off her finger into the drizzling darkness. The next morning the couple purchased a metal detector from the local WalMart but found nothing other than debris from countless campers over the years. The chances of extracting a petite gold ring from the tramped mud and accumulation of beer cans, pull tabs, foil wrappers and other metalic remains, bordered on impossible.

On Monday following I received an email from Ashley asking if I could help. Once on location I was the recipient of the kind cooperation and assistance of Ford Festival security employee, Robert, who secured permission to search and who provided a most helpful map of the individual campsites and Tim and Ashley’s site number 1724—ground zero. But after an ever widening three-hours of painstaking investigation through rubbish and mud, further hunting seemed futile. Even with a carefully calibrated state-of-the art XP Deus metal detector the little ring eluded my best efforts. Perhaps someone had already found it, I thought to myself.

I had mentally decided to call off the search and break the sad news to Tim and Ashley that I was not successful. But then on my way back to the car a signal in my headphones prompted further investigation. It came from the remains of a large mud puddle in the roadway. Countless vehicles had driven through it. After digging and removing several bits of aluminum foil, a golf-ball sized clump of mud emitted both a promising tone and the appropriate conductivity numbers for white gold. Probing further, a flash of metal caught my eye. There, squished into the clod was Ashley’s ring! Amazingly it was no worse for wear considering its abuse from the tires of so many vehicles.

Tim and Ashley, I’m so delighted for you both to have found your ring! And thank you for your generous reward.

If you or someone you know has lost a ring, contact me. I and my colleagues at The Ring Finders are happily available to assist.

TESTIMONIAL:

“We thought the ring was gone forever and that the website [theringfinders.com] was a scam, but Paul proved us wrong within a matter of hours. We will forever be grateful and keeping his number on file!”

Ashley

Peter Wakefield Jackson is internationally known for his lustrous career as a potter—the craft of making ceramic wares by hand on a potter’s wheel. Together with Megan, his bride of 24 years, Peter lives on a 17-acre farm outside Cambridge, Wisconsin. In addition to the pottery studio in the farm’s century-old outbuildings the property is home to Megan’s 2 horses, Annie and Mo, which she uses for equine-assisted therapy.

On November 8th, 2016, the day of the USA Presidential election, Peter removed his 24-karat gold wedding band and a malachite-inlaid silver ring from his fingers so as not to risk scratching several unfired pieces he was handling while loading them into a kiln.

The gold band was an heirloom from Megan’s side of the family. It once belonged to her great uncle Nathan Kawin, a dapper young man who received it from his bride, Lottie Goldstein on their wedding day on January 5th 1885 in Chicago. Inside the gold band is the inscription, “NK to LG”.

Due to a previous scare with losing his rings by putting them loose in his pocket, Peter always put a twist-tie around the two rings for added security. It would be the last he would see of them. Later that night, after a full day’s activity, the rings were nowhere to be found.

I received an email from Peter asking for my assistance. He had written a meticulous chronology of his activities on the day of the loss. The remarkable detail was evidence of the huge sentimental value Peter’s rings held, especially the 132-year-old family heirloom. But the chances of finding the twist-tied pair bordered on impossible.

On a 17-acre hobby farm the likelihoods of where the rings might have escaped Peter’s pocket seemed never-ending. On the day of the loss he had fed horses, installed a feeder, made numerous trips to his kiln, retrieved tools from his workshop and had driven to town and back on 2 occasions. The rings could be anywhere, lost in town, shipped out with a pottery order, maybe even ingested by Annie or Mo—perish the thought!

My 40-plus years metal-detecting experience kept telling me to decline the search and not get Peter’s hopes up. But I could sense the earnestness in Peter’s email; perhaps I could help to bring a sense of closure to his loss knowing he had done all he could to find them. Conducting the search, however, would be a long shot, a very long shot.

On May 25th 2017, six months after the ill-fated, twist-tied rings went missing, I arrived at the Wakefield Studio to begin the search. My strategy was to try and eliminate the outdoor areas. After a couple hours, it seemed all the more certain that the rings would never be seen again. But it was while searching the horse corral that a high-silver signal on my XP Deus detector warranted investigation. Probing deep into the manure, mud and water, a glint of metal caught my eye. It was Peter’s rings—still twisted together as when Peter tucked them into his pocket 6-months before!

Just how the rings ended up in the middle of the horse corral will remain a mystery. One thing is for sure this happy find will go down in my books as a ring-find with a twist!

Rejoicing with you both, Peter and Megan! May the story of your rings continue for many happy years to come! And thank you for your kind gift; the hand-thrown Wakefield Studio pottery pieces will be treasured for the extra special memory they hold.

If you or someone you know has lost a ring or other piece of sentimental jewelry, don’t give up! Peter didn’t. And his persistence paid off.

Contact The Ring Finders today for a metal-detecting specialist near you.

TESTIMONY

“I can recommend Paul without reservation to anyone who has lost a wedding ring. From our first communications, I could tell he had a sincere and honest approach to solving such a puzzle. It was a pleasure to work with him, and I could not be happier that he was able to find my long lost rings!” Peter – Cambridge, WI

Memorial Day Weekend turned to disappointment when Valerie’s wedding ring flew off her finger while playing ball with her husband, Mike and daughter. It seemed to land somewhere in the thick grass behind their newly acquired home in Fontana, Wisconsin. Despite searching for many hours on their knees, the ring eluded discovery.

A phone call from Valerie on Monday, May 29th, set in motion a quick one-hour drive to the Lake Geneva district not far from the Illinois State border. Upon arrival, she escorted me to the location where a wooden stake marked ground zero; the place she was standing when the ring left her hand. Additionally, Mike had spray painted a square perimeter line on the ground to indicate the area where the couple had concentrated their search efforts. From a recovery standpoint, this couple had done everything right but still was not able to recover it.

It wasn’t long before a promising signal showed on my monitor. The numbers displayed were consistent with Valerie’s wedding band. Then began a systematic parting of the green blades but the ring’s hiding place was no match for technology and 40-plus years metal-detecting experience. A flash of metal betrayed its presence.

Valerie, I am so glad we were able to get your ring back on your finger where it belongs; may its story continue for many, many happy years. And thank you for your kind reward.

TESTIMONY

“Thank you so much for your quick response to my call and for finding my wedding band immediately. I can’t express how much I appreciate your willingness to travel, on a holiday, to my home 45 minutes away, to help me find it. Thanks again” Valerie – Fontana, WI

Sunday, May 8th was not a good day for Lori Cox, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Life had thrown some nasty curve balls at her recently but when she lost her precious engagement ring, it was like the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Despite her best search efforts, the ring eluded discovery.

Thinking she would investigate the rental of a metal detector, an online search immediately directed her to The Ring Finders website and subsequently to my metal detecting services. Would I help? I could sense the desperation in Lori’s quivering voice on the phone.

The circumstances surrounding her loss were somewhat vague, thus I wasn’t too optimistic about locating it. But I felt compelled to give it my best try, if for no reason but Lori’s peace of mind. After all, it is times like these we humans are glad for even the small kindnesses of others.

During the drive to Fond du Lac, I mulled over a search strategy. Two large dogs (gorgeous ones I might add) in residence meant checking their bags of poop, this since canines have been known to swallow rings. And since it was not known whether the ring was lost outside in the backyard or inside the house, I determined to concentrate my 40-plus years detecting experience on the outside areas and first eliminate those. Lastly, a house search would involve a forensic-style review of the areas Lori had checked, eliminating one room at a time.

Later, while I was outside eliminating square inches of backyard, Lori was busy inside eliminating square inches of floor and furnishings—its called teamwork! I had almost completed the outside search when Lori suddenly appeared. She was holding up her ring! It was all she could do to speak she was so choked with emotion. As it turned out the ring had fallen down behind a seat cushion of a chair in the family room.

Lori, your ring doesn’t weigh much, but its discovery sure lifted a huge emotional load off your shoulders! I am so glad you found it! Thank you for allowing me to have a small part in encouraging you and giving you hope.

Wisconsin’s, Whistling Straits Golf Course on the picturesque shores of Lake Michigan, was host to the 2015 PGA Championship. But it became the unintended host to Joey Piatek’s wedding ring on April 29, 2017.

As was his habit, Joey removed his ring before playing, slipping it into a zipped pocket on his golf bag for safekeeping. He realized it was missing as he was leaving the course. Where could it have gone? Joey’s heart sank when he remembered his caddie, on two occasions, turning the bag upside down to retrieve the cover for his putter after it had fallen inside. Had the ring fallen out then?

Joey immediately returned to the course from the parking lot and searched using his iPhone flashlight in the dark. To make matters worse, it began raining. His efforts were unsuccessful. He tried looking again the next morning but again, the ring seemed to have vanished.

Joey’s bride of a year and half, Michelle, was in New York attending the wedding shower of a friend when she received the news. Being a nurse anesthetist, she immediately went into problem-solving mode—perhaps Joey could rent a metal detector. A quick search on the Internet brought up The Ring Finders directory of metal detecting specialists. It peaked her interest; she never realized such a service existed. It gave a glimmer of hope! And so Michelle encouraged Joey to contact me.

I received Joey’s email and made arrangements to conduct the search the following morning. Since Joey lived in Chicago, Illinois, I had him text me a Google earth satellite map of the golf course showing pins at the two locations where the golf bag had been turned upside down. Technology is wonderful!

Unfortunately, a thorough search of the two marked areas failed to turn up the ring–perhaps someone had already found it. My 40-plus years experience however, prompted me to widen the search area. Sure enough, on the gravel pathway leading up to the 10th Hole, I heard a familiar tone in my headset. The conductivity numbers showing on my XP Deus control screen were consistent with 14 Karat gold. It was Joey’s ring!

Barely visible with the naked eye, the love token was pretty much buried. It had been stepped on or run over by a club car but was not worse for wear considering. I took a photo to show it peaking out from among the pebbles as if embarrassed by the ordeal. Can you spot it?

Joey and Michelle drove up from Chicago a week later. It was such a joy to return the ring in person and to visit with this delightful couple. It seems they have been telling all their friends and family members about their experience with The Ring Finders and with my services here in southwest Wisconsin. Thank you both for the privilege of helping to recover your ring and for your kind reward.

Joey, may your ring’s happy-ending story continue for many, many years to come!

This lost-and-now-found wedding band will go down in my book of smiles as ‘The Valentine’s Ring.’

I say this because, the ring’s owner, Todd, became engaged to Suzie on a very happy Valentine’s Day in 2010. Subsequently, exactly seven years later, on Valentine’s Day, 2017, Todd’s love-token emerged from the icy darkness of a Wisconsin snow pile. It was as though the ring was most anxious to celebrate the warmth and glow of the occasion all over again. But I’m getting ahead of my story.

Two months earlier, the ring vanished from Todd’s finger as he was clearing the snow off his car. Together the couple shoveled a wide area around their vehicle. They even set the shoveled snow to one side and sifted through it by hand. It was a race to find it before the inevitable snowplow arrived.

Questions ricocheted in their minds. Had the ring fallen off their vehicle as they drove away? Had a passerby picked it up? Or had the snowplow already done its nasty deed? Or was the ring already cocooned inside the ten to twelve foot high mound of snow at the end of the parking lot? These unanswered questions only served to deepen the sick feeling in Todd and Suzie’s stomachs, the kind that accompanies the loss of something personal—precious.

Having found my name on The Ring Finders website, Todd reached out to me a few days later. Would I be willing to search for his ring? The cold was especially brutal that evening as I applied my 40-plus years of metal detecting experience to the task at hand. But it was to no avail. The only remaining hope was that maybe, just maybe the ring was somewhere in the gigantic snow pile. If so, it would have to wait until spring thaw.

In the weeks to follow I kept an eye on similar snow mounds where I live. As they slowly melted I returned at intervals to check the one where Todd’s ring had been lost. But as I climbed over the pile with my detector, all was quiet in my headset, ominously quiet. “Ring,” I asked out loud, “where are you hiding?”

The morning sun shone warm and promising on Valentine’s Day. I noticed a trickle of water leaking out from beneath a snow pile not far from my house and knew it was time to take another drive. As I pulled my vehicle up to the now-much-smaller mound, a pair of Canada geese stood guard. They took turns honking their displeasure at my disturbing their morning solace.

Keeping a wary eye on the unpredictable duo, I traced my way around the retreating perimeter scanning for any sign of a wedding band. Then a glimmer caught my eye! And now, as Paul Harvey, American radio broadcaster for ABC Radio Networks used to say, “You know the rest of the story.”

Suzie stopped by to pick up Todd’s ring just a few hours ago. As it turns out, Todd was traveling on Valentine’s Day. And so Suzie is looking forward to surprising him with a most-special Valentine’s gift—-again!

The text message from Mequon, Wisconsin, resident Adam Korte, read in part, “Lost my ring in my yard. Looked myself with a cheap metal detector with no luck. Wondering if you would be interested in taking a crack at it?”

Within a few hours I arrived on location and received a first-hand chronology of the events leading up to Adam’s loss. Winterizing his family’s swimming pool Adam flipped the water off his hands in the chill weather. As he did so, he felt his wedding band leave his finger, glancing off his fingernail as it left. Then it just disappeared.

Adam and his 9-year-old son spent the better part of a week searching the area without success. They even tried using a metal detector but the machine set up such a howl it proved frustrating; the ground acted like it was full of metal.

A systematic grid search with my XP Deus metal detector did not reveal the ring’s whereabouts. But there was clearly a large metallic object buried in the frozen ground in the vicinity where the ring disappeared, what we metal-detecting specialists fondly call, “a big and ugly.” It could have been a metal culvert or an old car engine. Whatever it was, my detector coil was picking it up even at waist high. It is situations like this that new metal-detecting technology really shines. I was able to reduce the sensitivity and make adjustments that allowed me to isolate signals in the very narrow range of Adam’s 14K white gold ring. Soon a distinct signal could be heard amidst all the noise. Brushing away the top bits of soil and leaves a razor thin, shiny, circle appeared—it was the ring!

So glad for the opportunity to help recover your wedding band, Adam! Now Santa won’t have to bring a new one for Christmas!