The Ring Finders Blog | Page 622 of 1129

A weekend camping trip May 21-23 on the spectacular Lake Michigan shores of Kohler-Andrae State Park, near Sheboygan, WI, was just what the Dr. ordered for Sussex resident, Trevor Olsen and his bride of 6 years. It was a last get-away before moving to the state of Washington the following week.

The perfect time together suddenly turned to despair when the couple was packing up to leave. That is when Trevor realized his wedding ring, a family heirloom, was missing from his hand! He recalled taking it off and tucking it into a flap inside the tent the night before. Perhaps it flew out when they shook the tent as they prepared to leave. A frantic search in the grass and surrounding woods ensued but to no avail. The ring had vanished.

I received a phone call from Trevor early the next morning. I was not feeling well and so reached out to other Ring Finders in the area but nobody was available on short notice. Time was of the essence with the pending move and all. Trevor was desperate. And so I made the decision to drive up with my wife so she could help with the driving as needed.

Arriving an hour later, I located the camp site and pulled in behind Trevor’s car. Trevor was waiting anxiously. I followed him up the hill to the location where the tent had been pitched. I could still see the tent’s imprint in the grass. Returning back down the hill to my vehicle I proceeded to set out my equipment and snapped a tool belt/pouch around my waist. But as I reached down to pick up my trusty XP Deus detector, a glimmer caught my eye on the driveway less than an inch from where my search coil rested on the pavement. I instinctively picked it up, examined it and handed it to Trevor asking, “Is this your ring?”

The look of shock and disbelief on Trevor’s face confirmed the amazing discovery was indeed his wedding ring!

Now, how it ended up on the driveway so far from the camp site will forever remain a mystery. It could have just as easily ended up under my vehicle out of sight. Strange how these things happen sometimes.

I am thrilled, Trevor, to have recovered your precious ring and in such a memorable way. I wish you and your bride a successful move to Washington and many, many more happy years together.

Annual yard work and garage cleaning are two chores John Ritter of Menomonee Falls is always glad to check off his honey-do list. But the weekend labors of May 15-16 proved less than satisfying when John realized his wedding ring was missing. He searched frantically, even scouring the ground on his knees in all the locations where he had raked and pulled weeks. Did the ring get thrown out by mistake? This thought left him with a nauseating feeling.

I received a phone call from John and reviewed his timeline of events. After 40 plus years of experience, I’ve learned forensic-type questions can greatly narrow the possibilities. Given the variety of activities and the amount of time that had lapsed, it seemed finding John’s ring was a long shot. But we agreed to meet and at least rule out the yard areas where he had worked. As John led me through his activities on location, he mentioned having cleaned out a bird bath in the garden, that he had used a garden hose and shook the water off his hand. I made a mental note to check that area thoroughly. My hunch paid off.

The ring announced its presence to my XP Deus Detector as I investigated the bushes near the birdbath. It lay buried out of sight beneath its greenery. The long shot paid off. And the smile on John’s face tells the rest of the story.