70 Days Lost

July 4th, 2026.  The United States of America was busy celebrating its 250th anniversary with parades, cookouts, and family gatherings.  Mitchell and Abigail were no different.  They came to Lake Geneva to be with family, fellowship around the table, and simply have some fun as a newly engaged couple.  But this day brought a loss they were not expecting.

Abigail cooled off that day with a jump in Geneva Lake.  She swam a handful of strokes toward a floating trampoline and switched to doggy paddling.  And this is when her beautiful diamond engagement ring slipped off her finger and was lost in the muck below.  

And it would stay lost for 70 days.

Mitch texted me on July 6th, “My fiancé’s engagement ring came off while jumping in Lake Geneva… I’m curious if you would be able to help…”

I wasted no time getting to the site, and met up with Mitch’s mother the evening of July 6th.  She shared the story, and I donned my diving gear to make my first attempt to find the ring.  Little did I know it would take five more diving sessions over 70 days, the retrieval of hundreds of metal items from the lake, and nearly 9 hours of diving to find Abigail’s engagement ring.

Although I have hundreds of hours diving in the shallow waters of Geneva Lake, this particular spot was my most difficult.  The seaweed, after a summer of growth, was tall and thick.  The silt at the bottom stirred up almost instantly and clouded any visibility I might have had.  The area between the pier and the floating trampoline was large. And then there was the trash: pull tabs, beer cans, and coins; there were sinkers and fishing lures, pier bolts and washers; boat parts, including a steering wheel, a rear-view mirror, and safety lights; a thermometer, glasses, sunglasses, a dog bowl.  There was only one way to find the ring… keep digging.

I went back as often as I could: July 11, July 21, August 15, September 5, September 12.  I spent about 1.5 to 2 hours each time, digging up the aforementioned “treasures.”  

Mel Fisher, the famous treasure hunter, spent 17 years searching for the famous sunken Spanish treasure ship the Atocha (Nuestra Señora de Atocha).  The mother lode, found in 1985, is estimated to be worth around 400 million.  He had a slogan that he repeated every day, “Today’s the day!”

On the morning of September 12th, this phrase echoed in my mind as I ate breakfast and thought about my search strategy.  I knew the math was in my favor.  Every piece of metal I removed got me closer to zero metal targets in my search zone.  The more I looked, the more ground I would cover.  I would eventually land on top of the ring, and I thought, Today’s the day!

The weather was pleasant that Saturday as I narrated into my GoPro the thoughts on the day’s search.  My final line was… “We’ve just got to keep persevering.”  About 30 minutes later, I was able to add my post-video commentary, “We did it… I’m so relieved.. What a day!  Thank you, Lord. This is the Day!”

And so the ring was found… but how to surprise Mitch and Abigail?

It’s helpful to add that over these 70 days I never actually met Mitch or Abigail.  We texted and talked on the phone, but no face-to-face meetings, which gave me a fun idea.  What if I could surprise them?  

So instead of calling them and sharing the good news, I called Mitch’s mother to set up the surprise reveal.  After a few phone calls, the plan was in place: Mitch and Abigail were asked to drive from their home near Milwaukee, WI to Lake Geneva, WI because Mitch’s parents needed to tell them something in person.  They were reassured it was good news, but they needed to hear it in person: “Could they come?”  Mitch and Abigail might have been a bit perturbed to receive such a short-term request on a Saturday morning, but they agreed to make the 45-minute drive.

On my end, I decided to write a short, somewhat cryptic poem, glue it to a palm-sized box with the ring inside, and then just show up at Mitch’s parents’ home to present the mystery package.  Remember, they had never met me, so I was just some random guy, delivering a small, mysterious package.  

After I arrived, Mitchell and Abigail came out together.  The curious, maybe slightly uncomfortable, looks on their faces just added to the moment.  I presented Abigail the box and asked her to read the poem aloud.  She read:

Seventy days

In a watery grave

Yet hope remained

And efforts stayed

Our shared joy doubles

As the time draws near

When two become one    

“Stop…” Abigail paused

And then she opened the box and her ring peered back from a cotton pillow. “Ohhhh…..  Stop,” Abigail continued, and Mitchell came in for a hug.

Mitch: “I never thought I would see it again.”

Abigail: “I’ve felt naked without it.”

Mitch: “Wow. It’s unbelievable!”

The search was finally over, the ring returned, the thanks given.  What a joy to be able to help people like Mitch and Abigail!  If you or someone you know has lost a phone, ring, or other jewelry item, please call.  The smiles I enjoy when returning lost items are one of the best parts of what I do.

 

Trash Removed from the Lake: