8/2/2023
While on another search at an ocean beach on Block Island, a young girl approached me to ask for my help. She explained that her dad, Marty, had just lost his wedding ring while boogie boarding with his kids. He rode a wave and felt the ring fall off in the water near shore. I interrupted the other search to look for the ring. It took thirty minutes to find it in the sand near shore. Marty and his wife were thrilled. They felt so blessed that I happened to be there when they needed my help. You see, this was not just any ordinary wedding ring. It had belonged to his wife’s grandfather, George, who passed away in 2019. The ring was gifted to Marty because he married the eldest granddaughter and was very close to George. Marty’s ring is now with his wife for safe keeping until it can be resized!
8/2/2023
Brandi contacted me on 8/1/2023 to ask for my help. She was referred to me by Wayne, a friend and experienced metal detecting enthusiast. Brandi’s husband, Iving, had lost a man’s gold chain on which hung a woman’s gold wedding ring. These items held much sentimental value to Irving, as well as his sister Nancy, as they were gifts from their dad and mom, who had passed away. The chain with ring came off when Irving was diving into the ocean at a beach on Block Island on 7/28/2023. They hired someone to look for the item and even went back to Block Island to search themselves but were unsuccessful. I knew I had to get out there as soon as possible to search for the item, so I headed out to Block Island the next day. After searching in the water for two and a half hours, I found the chain with ring still securely attached. I called Brandi from the beach to give her the good news…she was so excited. Brandi and Irving, as well as his sister Nancy and her partner Manny, came to my home to retrieve the item. They were very emotional when I returned the chain with ring. What a touching moment when Irving put it back on his neck. My wife and I felt an instant connection to this beautiful family.
6/26/2023
Jim and Lisa rented a beach house on the private section of Charlestown Beach. While enjoying the beach, Lisa removed her platinum diamond wedding band to apply sunscreen but didn’t put the ring back on her finger. A half hour later, she realized that it was missing and had gotten buried in the beach sand. Jim called to ask for my help with finding the ring. I searched the beach for about 20 minutes before locating her ring. They were so excited and appreciative!
Bill and Sarah reached out to me earlier in July. Bill had lost his platinum wedding band in the Gulf while vacationing in Gulf Shores. I made plans to go help but unfortunately it was a terrible lightning storm and it was just not safe to go that afternoon. They had already gone back to their home in Auburn but I wasn’t giving up. I got up the next morning to beat the storms and also so I could get it done before having to be at work. The Gulf was a mess and it was all I could do to hold a line in the rough seas. They had put out the red and purple flags overnight. Luckily, I didn’t have to go far when I heard a great tone and quickly scooped up Bill’s ring before the sun even peeked over the horizon. I sent a picture and briefly spoke to Sarah on the phone. I told her that I was coming to Montgomery in a few days for work and she was thrilled because Bill’s Dad lives there. I battled some more storms on the way up which seemed only fitting but I was able to drop it into the hands of Bill’s father and smile as he checked it out. I think Bill and Sarah were a little camera shy but they sent this picture of both of their hands with Bill’s ring where it is supposed to be. They entitled it “Reunited” which I think says it all. 😃
Ian lost his ring while swimming at Orange Beach Alabama. His wife’s family is from Canada and were vacationing in Orange Beach and invited Ian and their Daughter to joint them. Ian is British and he and his wife live in England. He wasn’t exactly sure were in the water is was lost but had a general area. I started the search and Ian joined me and we talked as I was searching. He’s a very interesting guy, he lives along the southern coast of England and works as a Port Pilot! The lost ring was his original wedding ring and he really wanted it back because that he one his wife gave him when they made the promise. His father in law waited on the beach while we searched, I learned lots about piloting ships, very interesting! It took about an hour to find his ring. He was most grateful. Back on the beach he immediately called his wife that her gift to him was safe and sound back on his finger. Ian and his father in law were really nice folks, I’m happy I met them and could help.
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Macain and his extended family where celebrating his Grandmothers 80th birthday. While enjoying the water his wedding ring dropped off his finger. He, his wife and brothers searched as best they could with snorkel gear and feeling the sandy bottom with hands and feet with no success. They texted Pensacola Ring Finders facebook page and I responded back that I would be happy to help. When I arrived everyone was having a grand time, kids running around and family and friends enjoying Grandmother birthday. I got to meet Granny and wished her a wonderful birthday. She was in great health and I enjoyed our conversation. Macain’s ring was lost in shallow water between two docks and didn’t take long to find, about 45 minutes. Macain and his wife are newly weds so the recovery of the ring meant a bunch to them. When I found it I held it up in the air to show them, they immediately stood and rushed to the dock. The news of Macain’s found ring rapidly moved amount the family and friends. Very exciting! On my way to leave, the family Matriarch, Granny, came up and thanked me, that meant a lot to me.
This ring find began when I got a call from Beatrice who was on vacation from Portland Oregon and staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The previous day will walking in shallow water with her Granddaughter Sophia her Platinum Engagement & Wedding Bands fell off and disappeared in the shallow water of the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. She snorkeled and failed to find either ring. Her son Jason bought a Garrett Ace 250 Detector but it made so much noise he only found a few cents in all the chatter. They initially called fellow ring-finder Don Bryant who referred them to me as I live only moments away. I told Beatrice I’d grab my gear and meet her at the Lagoon to start the search. My initial instructions from Beatrice were misinterpreted and I started hunting two feet from the rock island you see behind her in the pic. What she meant was “in” two feet of water in front of the rock island. Once I had that key data point I immediately found the Platinum Wedding Band but it kept getting pushed away from my scoop. It must have taken at least eight tries. Beatrice didn’t seem as if that ring was hers so I continued searching. After a short time in the same general area of the Platinum Band I got another tone and after about three scoops there was Beatrice’s beautiful Engagement Ring with a Solitaire Diamond with two Blue Sapphires on each side. Then after looking again she realized the band was hers and it fit perfectly. Excellent 2 for 2. Vacation saved! Much Aloha to Beatrice and her Family!
Lost your ring, other valuable jewelry, cellphone, keys, or other metal object…call or text Brian Carpenter at (814)244-2300 as soon as possible. I am a ring recovery and metal detecting specialist serving Pittsburgh, Indiana (PA), and most of Western PA. Why rent a metal detector when you can get a trained operator with top of the line equipment at the same time…
I received a text from Cathy that she had lost her mother’s ring in her car and asked me to call her. I called her and she said her ring fell off in the car and she could not find it. She saw it go flying back behind the driver’s seat. It has been a while since she lost it and had vacuumed the car and searched to no avail. She said their last night in Myrtle Beach on vacation she ran into a member of the ring finders who told her about us and what we do. He did not have a scope with him so he told her to check the website when she got back.
I went out the same day, got there and started to look under the driver’s seat immediately since it was the last place the ring was seen. I started checking the vents when I noticed the carpet under the vents was loose. I then started to check under the carpet, it was a few minutes later I found what I thought to be Cathy’s ring. I know that sounds a bit crazy but in full disclosure this was only my second time using an endoscope and I am finding out that things can look a bit different or deceiving. I asked Cathy to look and she said yes because she recognized the design. Then I realized…finding it in the car is only half the battle…you have to retrieve it too. I informed Cathy that I would try to get it out but if I could not she might have to seek a mechanic. Luckily her husband was able to put the seat the whole way up and I was able to get a hold of it. It was a bit touch and go because it was tight and I didn’t want to drop it and have the ring go further down into the car, but in the end I got it out!! Cathy was so happy to have her ring back as it meant so much to her since it had belonged to her mother. I was glad I was able to help. It was truly a pleasure to meet such kind and generous people like Cathy and her family. It was also great to get my FIRST find using an endoscope.
P.S. – If you are still reading this there are a few people I want to thank in addition to Cathy for calling me. First I’d like to thank the unknown ring finder in Myrtle Beach or else I would not have had this opportunity. Then our fellow ring finder, Rod Greene…he lent me his scope (don’t worry I am getting my own…lol). I know this might sound like an Oscar or Grammy speech but I am almost done…LOL. I also want to thank fellow ring finder Brian Rudolph. The first time I was out searching a car I reached out to Brian because he has tons of success. Although that search did not pan out he gave me some good pointers and encouragement to keep searching cars. So thanks to all you guys for your help and support!!
I received a text from Leslie on Monday afternoon concerning a lost engagement ring. She had found me with an internet search. As it was late in the day I told her I could come the next day, becase it was about a two hour drive from where I’m located. I got to the site at around 11:00 AM Central Time. The couple had been pulling a boat and pulled off into the parking lot of an old convience store that had been converted into another use. As they got out to adjust the boat straps, (the ring had been placed in the shallow tray under the door handle), the ring somehow went flying. They looked on the pavement and didn’t see it, but there was a grass strip between the pavement and a shallow ditch, then more grass just beyond the ditch. I started my search in the grass strip, then the ditch, then just beyond the ditch. Being this had been a convience store at one time I expected a lot of metal trash in the ground, and I was right. She did have a metal detector that had been her grandfather’s, but was overwhelmed by the abundance of metal trash. I searched slowly and methodically while listening for the white gold tone and looking for the target ID I typically get for white gold rings. After searching the entire area, no ring. Of course I found several pieces of foil. I turned off my CTX detector, and was explaing the process, where I search the most likely area first, then expand the search area if the ring is not found, (a visual scan of the pavement was next). At that time someone from the building, I’ll call him “Tom”, came out and we explained what we were doing, and that a visual scan of the pavement was next. He struck out towards the highway, and in around ten seconds I heard him call out, “is this it?” He had found it around 10-12 feet from the edge of a busy highway! The ring was intact, but had some minor damage where it looked as though it had been run over and stuck in the tire treads before dropping off just before the highway. In a visual search, the more eyes the better. All in all, another successful search!
