Pendant Lost A few Years Ago in Ocean City NJ, Found by Dave Milsted
*WARNING* Do not watch the video without tissues!
Mike sent me a message after finding my website by doing a Google search on lost jewelry in Ocean City. He said that his dad, also Mike has worn a St Christopher medal that his dad gave him before he passed away several years ago. While in the crawl space to turn the water on a few springs ago, he was still wearing the chain but the pendant was gone. They recently sold the house, and it will be torn down soon.
We agreed to meet at 9 am on Sunday, Labor Day weekend. Today is moving day. When I arrived The men were moving furniture into a moving truck. One of them asked if I was Dave, it was Mike. Mike’s dad was there and wanted to know who I was. Mike explained that he asked me to come over to search the crawl space for your dad’s pendant. Mike’s dad became emotional, because of his son’s thoughtfulness.
Mike took me to the crawl space entrance. It was in the closest of a bedroom, removed the floor, and there it was. I lowered myself down with my detector. There were 2 lights but it was pretty dark. From ground to ceiling was about 2.5 feet. Crawl space described this hunt perfectly.
Mike’s dad said if he lost it under the house it would be the spot the furthest from for entranceway, as there is a half wall there and he was stretched across it most likely catching his chain there. I started working my way to that spot. My detector was constantly beeping. Pieces of copper pipes, buried cans, pieces of wire, buried iron pieces, nails, and old footings. I decided to use my handheld pinpointer to limit deeper targets.
I went over just about every inch of the sandy floor. I said to Mike that I’m getting a bad feeling, just as we were getting back to the entrance. I said maybe it’s at the opening and it fell off of the chain when his dad stood up. A few minutes later I found it! Buried about ½ an inch to an inch deep. Right at the bottom of the entrance. Mike was amazed that we found it. I asked him what he wanted to do. He wanted to surprise his dad. So I exited the hole first. I was asked if I found it and I said I really don’t think it’s down there. Mike was up next. When Mike came up we moved to the porch. I ask Mike senior if I could videotape him as he told me the story of the sentimental pendant, as I like to document my searches.
As Mike senior was telling me about the loss, he was ending the story saying we haven’t been able to find it. I said are you sure? And the younger Mike put the pendant in his dad’s hand.
The kicker – It is Mike’s senior’s birthday today!
I love my hobby!!
