November 12 marked a day of profound sadness for West Bend resident, Michael Schultz. His loose-fitting wedding ring came up missing after a day’s activities. He had done chores on their country horse farm, spent time sighting in hunting rifles in anticipation of the upcoming deer season and then made a trip to town. A recently harvested cornfield served as a 100-yard shooting range. Later, as he stood in line at a grocery store, Michael noticed, to his horror, his wedding ring was missing from his hand!
Michael had recently lost weight which resulted in his ring fitting loosely. He remembered thinking that very morning how it might be best to store the ring away until it could be resized. Now, he regretted not heeding the thought. He was truly grieving his loss and all the precious memories the ring held.
Michael’s wife, Nikki, reached out to me several days later. After speaking with her on the phone, I concluded the ring could be anywhere. The most likely place to search seemed to be the cornfield where Michael had taken his gloves off and on as he sighted in his rifles. But the area was similar in size to a football field. No matter, it would be a process of elimination.
I arrived early afternoon on November 22, 10 days after the ring went missing. The remains of corn stalks made the search challenging, hampering the swinging of my search coil. After 3-hours of searching, it was pitch black. I still had about another hour of searching left when a signal caught my attention. Beneath a muddy corn leaf, Michael’s gold and diamond ring appeared with the help of a flashlight!
Michael and his family were overwhelmed at the sight of the ring! Hugs and tears of joy ensued.
This was yet another amazing find in what was, by all accounts, a long-shot search. However, the ring’s hiding place was no match for modern technology and perseverance even in a vast cornfield in the black of night.
If you or someone you know has lost a ring, don’t let its story end. Contact a member of the Ring Finders today.
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