A Small Ring, a Big Win for the Day

Sometimes the best finds happen when you’re not expecting them.

Today, I had just come off the beach after a metal detecting session that turned up… about a dollar in loose change. Not exactly headline material, but still a good walk. As I was wrapping up, I checked Facebook and saw a post on the Marco Patriots community page about a lost diamond band. Someone had tagged me, asking if I might be able to help.

The ring had been lost in their yard. While taking care of their dog, it flew off her hand. She knew it had come off, but didn’t see where it landed—grass, sidewalk, landscaping, who knows. Anyone who’s been there knows how fast hope fades when something small disappears in plain sight. They had spent hours looking for it, raking the yard, etc.

I headed over about 30 minutes before sunset. In this case, the ring had flown farther than we guessed. After widening the search area, the signal showed up in an unexpected place—down in the narrow indentation left by the yard edger along the sidewalk.

No digging. No scooping. Just a clean recovery.

Getting a meaningful piece of jewelry back to its owner never gets old. It took a day that started with “no finds” and turned it into a very good one. More than anything, it was a reminder of how helpful a connected community can be when the right people see the message at the right time. It was also nice to meet some really nice people.

If you ever lose something metal—especially jewelry—act quickly and avoid posting exact locations publicly. And if you’re on Marco Island and need help, feel free to reach out. I’m always glad to help when I can.

Sometimes it really is just about being in the right place at the right time.