A Ring Recovery Tear Jerker

[Skate]

Hey everyone- I sometimes post a ring recovery on here when it's really cool (at least that's what I think) and I had one of those today. I'm always amazed at the impact that metal detecting has had on others and myself. It may be a hobby but I think it's sometimes better known as a re-connection device.

I got a call Sunday evening from Gerrie, a professional dog trainer in the greater Santa Barbara area. She had been training a dog at a private residence in Montecito which is a small town just south of Santa Barbara. She was getting ready to leave when she noticed that her deceased Father's fraternity ring was missing from her right hand which was the hand she was using to throw objects and train the German Shepherd. She trains protection dogs so the work can get quite physical as you can imagine. When Gerrie called me she was crying and for a few moments I wasn't sure who was on the other end of the call and I wasn't sure if auto warranty had expired or I'd won that long awaited 3 day trip to nowhere that I usually win. She was finally able to explain all this to me as you can tell she was just beside herself having lost the ring. 

She went on to explain that her dad had one ring his whole life, a fraternity ring he had received when he became President of his fraternity at Penn State university back in 1942. He was very proud of the ring and it actually doubled as his wedding ring. Gerrie's dad developed Alzheimers back in 2008 and from that time on Gerrie trained dogs full time and became her dad's full time caregiver which if you have had to deal with Alzheimer's you know it's all encompassing. In 2021 Gerrie's dad passed at 99 years old and Gerrie kept his ring as he wanted her to have it so he could always be with his beloved daughter. She had worn the ring every day since but on Sunday afternoon it went flying off somewhere in Montecito.

I met her at the home this morning to do a search and to see if I could find the ring. Talk about pressure. I don't know who slept less last night she or I. When I got there she mentioned that a random Iphone pic came up on her phone of her dad and the ring, a picture she hadn't seen in years and today of all days it shows. She took it as a sign I was going to find the ring and I took it as "oh crap I better find this ring."  I said a prayer for us and turned my sensitivity down on the D2, put it in Park(my favorite go to program) and began to grid the yard where she was primarily training. Unfortunately there were freaking targets everywhere and it became evident that this hillside property had had fill dirt brought in right where we were searching. There were targets everywhere and at one point I put my own wedding ring on the grass just to see if I could distinguish it from all the junk and on some swings over it it got masked. (Not sure about this XP!) 

I decided I'd turn back and try and find some ground without any targets just to get my brain tuned into the soil. I'm an auditory detector not a TID guy so I wanted to hear the ground. As it was the area to my right was quiet and to my left there had to a pipe or something long running parallel to me and I finally got a tone that was isolated from anything else. It was repeatable and had that familiar clip to it (for those D@ users) and I got down and began to poke around with my pinpointer and followed a tone right to the ring. The grass was super thick and acted like a canopy over the ring and it being gold you couldn't really see it with the naked eye. I pulled it out of the grass looked at her and said "God is good" and showed her the ring.

As I was standing up I got the biggest bear hug I think I've ever received. If it was an NFL game they would have flagged her for roughing the detectorer. In college football she would have been suspended for targeting. As for me, it was the best feeling ever. I got to use my detector to re-connect Gerrie and her dad. I think it was probably a good minute before she let go as the two days of panic and frustration just had to work itself out. There were tears flowing and even one of the staff members of the house (this was a 21 million dollar estate so they have "staff") was crying. It was an amazing moment and one I just had to share.

As have most of you, I have been finding peoples rings for a long time and it never gets old. I spoke with Gerrie for nearly an hour afterwards as she walked me through the life of her dad, the ring, dog training and of course I got to share some photos of my wife and my two kids as well as some recent recoveries. I now have a new friend in Santa Barbara and if I ever get big enough to require 4-legged protection I got the connection.

Best

Dave

[jim tn]

Neat feel good story and great getting the ring back to the lady. WTG! HH Jim Tn

[schoolofhardNox]

Awesome recovery!!!!!

[strick]

Nice story Skate and thanks for sharing it with us along with those great photos..I’m sorry but the pirate in me keeps eye balling that gold necklace she’s wearing 😆 

strick

[Matt4gold]

Always love finding things for people. Please suggest to Gerrie to get the ring resized!  That ring is to valuable to her to loose again.  

[Skate]

1 hour ago, strick said:

Nice story Skate and thanks for sharing it with us along with those great photos..I’m sorry but the pirate in me keeps eye balling that gold necklace she’s wearing 😆 

strick

Haha! As a pirate you would have loved the location. You could see all the way out to the Channel Islands from the yard. I felt like the lord of the realm for a few minutes. 

[Skate]

48 minutes ago, Matt4gold said:

Always love finding things for people. Please suggest to Gerrie to get the ring resized!  That ring is to valuable to her to loose again.  

We actually discussed that very thing. Lightning rarely strikes twice. 

[King-Of-Bling]

Great story and return. I'm sure you would have turned it down but with an estate like that , did she at least offer you a measly $5k ?

[Compass]

Amazing recovery - congrats! I honestly think that some things are just meant to be and it does often feel like some heavenly intervention is taking place.

[mn90403]

Skate,

I know your reputation in SB has to be the greatest.  All of your clients should put together a party for you and invite some reality TV producer.

You'd have us watching.

Mitchel