July 4th weekend was supposed to be a family holiday, a fun time. But for Phil & Becky Saubetin of Madison, Wisconsin, the day ended on a sad note. Missing, was Phil’s wedding band. It went astray at Egg Harbor Beach on the Door County peninsula.
Becky wrote, “No matter how much I tried to tell myself that it was just a token of our marriage…a thing…it’s not.” She remembered the gold-band’s inscription, “FOR MY PRINCE CHARMING LOVE B.” Adding to the frustration was the fact that they had glimpsed the ring momentarily in the water. But as they tried to reach it, the currents of Lake Michigan pushed it out of sight into the sandy silt. Despite their best search efforts and those of strangers who came to their rescue, including one with SCUBA gear, the ring seemed destined to be lost forever, as if swallowed by a sinister monster.
A search on the internet raised the Saubetin’s hopes when they discovered TheRingFinders.com and Metal Detecting Specialist, Paul Humphreys. He lived 3 ½ hours away in Waukesha, WI. Would he even consider helping them? Yes, he would. But on the day he and his wife, Kathleen met with Phil and Becky on location at Egg Harbor, the waves were unusually high, whipping the lake’s bottom into a swirl. The water quickly washed over Paul’s equipment and despite protective measures, the moisture silenced his machine. But Paul was more determined than ever. He promised to continue the hunt another day armed with underwater equipment. And he did just that, returning in the wee small hours of August 4th, exactly one month later.
After nearly two hours, a “loud and proud” bark from his Minelab Excalibur detector was like a trumpet blast announcing an important event. As sand filtered out from Paul’s stainless-steel scoop, early morning rays reflected off a gold wedding band. Was it Phil’s? This question was answered immediately when Paul caught sight of one of the words inscribed inside the band, “CHARMING.”
That night, Phil received an email from Paul. Its subject line read, “Prince Charming Rides Again!” And the photos attached bore tangible evidence of what Phil and Becky thought was lost forever.
Early this morning the Saubetin’s arrived at our home to collect their precious token. Phil placed it on his finger amidst family smiles that made the whole room sparkle. Then their youngest daughter put her arms around her Daddy’s neck, squeezed tightly and asked, “Do you feel married again, Daddy?” His answer; a mile-wide grin!
Mark and Jenny Neuenschwander along with their boys were enjoying a day at Long Lake State Park near Kewaskum, Wisconsin. That is until Mark’s wedding band went missing while playing together in the water. It took a few searches, but the ring finally surfaced in my sieve on August 7th. What a wonderful 14th anniversary gift to be able to return the ring to its happy owner and family. I sure enjoyed meeting you folks and am thrilled that this token of your love is back on your finger, Mark.
