Christina McCree – Lost Item Recovery Specialist for North Alabama and surrounding areas…call or text ASAP, anytime 24/7…610-504-6135
I received a text message from Amee on Saturday night (March 27th, 2021). Amee had lost her 14K white gold and platinum plated diamond engagement ring somewhere in her gravel driveway. She tried using a metal detector, but Amee and her husband, Casey, were unfamiliar with how to use it properly. They also tried sifting through the gravel with a garden tool and makeshift sifter, but that too was unsuccessful. Amee and her family tried searching for many weeks, but still no engagement ring. She went on Google and searched, “how to find a lost ring” and Chris Turner’s The Ring Finders website popped up. This is a worldwide directory of independent metal detecting specialists ready to assist in the recovery of lost items for their local area. Since nothing else had worked so far and they were basically out of options, Amee thought she’d give The Ring Finders a try.
I was able to meet Amee and Casey the following day (Sunday, March 28th, 2021) for the search. They live in Spruce Pine, Alabama, which is between Haleyville and Russellville. I didn’t mind the hour and a half drive from Huntsville, as it was a beautiful early Spring afternoon! Amee told me that she had actually lost both her engagement ring and wedding band on February 1st. She explained that she was in her car, pulling into her driveway and she had both rings in her hand. She parked, got out and was walking around the car and accidentally dropped them in the gravel driveway. She was able to find the wedding band, but the engagement ring was still missing after almost 2 months!
I thoroughly searched the area around where her car was normally parked. I found the usual foil, pull-tabs, and bottle caps. Amee then showed me the spot where she dumped the sifted piles. I searched that as well, but still no ring. I was confident that the ring was not in the area she initially identified.
I offered to search Amee’s car, because that seemed like the only place left. Amee then told me that she needed to come clean…the engagement ring was not in her car, because she had made up the story of accidentally dropping the rings. The rings were actually thrown from the front porch in a moment of stress and anger. Please don’t judge. We’re all human and we’ve all done things that we later wish we hadn’t. Amee gave me permission to share this. If she hadn’t been truthful with what actually occurred, her ring may have never been found. This really makes me wonder how many other rings are still missing today, because a client didn’t feel comfortable with sharing the real story on how their ring was lost.
I reassured Amee to not feel bad. Ring throws actually occur way more than people think, but some just don’t feel comfortable talking about it. Amee and Casey then shared some very sad and unfortunate personal news that led up to the ring toss. Out of respect for the family, I’ve decided to not share these details.
With this new information and based on my knowledge and experience with ring tosses, I felt very confident that Amee’s engagement ring would now be found! When the rings were thrown, Amee said that she heard a ping. This was her wedding band hitting the car and bouncing back. I felt that the engagement ring went further than they thought and actually flew over the car instead of hitting it. I started a new grid towards the direction of the toss in the front yard, just a few feet beyond the driveway and where I ended my other grid.
Within a matter of minutes (on my second gridline), my Minelab Equinox 800 metal detector rang up a solid 8. Parting the grass, I uncovered Amee’s gorgeous 14K white gold with platinum plating diamond engagement ring!!! Amee was in complete shock that her engagement ring had been found and couldn’t thank me enough! Casey had asked Amee for her hand in marriage with this very ring in 2007 (about 14 years ago)! The ring was now back on Amee’s finger where it belongs along with her wedding band! I’m so glad that this ring search had a happy ending! I give all glory to God, and I pray that He allows me to continue helping others for many years to come!
If you or someone you know has lost a ring, jewelry, or other metal item, please contact a member of The Ring Finders.