Yesterday we had our first beach day of vacation. As long as I’ve seen my dad, he’s worn his gold chain with two pendants, the immaculate conception and head of Christ. It’s hung around his neck for 50 years and was given to him by my grandmother.

We spent hours enjoying the beach before the annual LBI Lifeguard Races began and hundreds of people gathered over the area where we were sitting. It had to be around 6 pm when my dad realized his chain was missing from the side compartment of his beach chair. We looked and looked but there were so many people it was impossible.

I swear we all went to sleep with a gloom over us because this chain held so much importance.

The next day, I woke up early to drive back to the beach and look. No luck. After hours of time gone by, countless Facebook posts — I finally had locals recommend I call Edward Trapper, the NJ Ring Finder, known for his unwavering tenacity and success in finding lost treasures.

In less than 20 minutes, I drove down to the beach to meet Ed and his wife. Ed was eager to hear the background history of this chain, and the story it held.

For 45 minutes, he scoured the beach, meticulously covering every single inch of sand. He went above and beyond, but the chain was nowhere to be found. We decided to call it quits.

While walking up the ramp and off the beach, he turns to me and says,
“What are the odds it’s up here on the ramp somewhere? Let me try one last time. I’d hate to leave without finding it.”

Slowly, he walked down the ramp, the metal detector sweeping back and forth. Out of nowhere — ¾ the way down the ramp — the machine beeped, a clear, strong signal. He pushed in his scooper, sifting through the sand, and there it was—my father’s gold chain, buried by the side of the dune.

When I tell you we both screamed in joy… I was absolutely speechless.

Ed, I am so thankful for you and how generous you are. You truly have made this a story I will never forget. Your hard work and dedication is incredible.