Yesterday at 7am I received a text message from a friend of mine. One of his friends lost her rings on the beach at Margate NJ two days prior. He said he gave my information to her.

Dina & I texted a few times, she thought that she wouldn’t need my services because she and her son were heading back to the beach with a borrowed metal detector. I told her to keep me posted with their progress.

3 hours later I get a text that they need my help. I told her that I would head down after work. I wasn’t sure if I would have the stamina for a long search as I just had back surgery 8 weeks ago.

It took just over 2 hours but we found both rings. Below is Dina’s story:

Here’s how it happened, so we can ALL learn a lesson from my mistake: I went to put on sunscreen, but didn’t want my rings to get all goopy, so I took them off and put them in the cup holder of the beach chair. When I was done applying the sunscreen, I got distracted, and went off to play with my kids, not putting the rings back on. Then I forgot all about them.
Hours later, my husband slung the chair over his shoulder to carry it back to the truck. (Btw, he followed the path of our two year old niece on the way out, so it could have fallen out ANYWHERE.) It was not until we got home, when I was taking off my jewelry, that I remembered what I had done. If you know what “plotzed” means, that’s what I did!!! I froze, my heart stopped, and fear set in.

Of course we immediately checked the chairs and the truck, to no avail. I wanted to drive right back down to the shore (exhausted, in the dark), but my amazing husband, Hector, who was miraculously calm and had a clear head through this entire debacle, spoke to reason, saying, “It’s just a thing. It can be replaced. We have insurance. It’s not like someone was hurt or died.” (Btw, when I pointed out to him how amazing he was being, and he said that I’d do the same for him, I said, “No, I wouldn’t! I’d be freaking out at you!!” … Can I just say, I am such a lucky girl.)

The next day, my Aunt Barbara went to the beach to look, and spoke with the lifeguards, but with no luck. I called Margate Police and Margate Public Works, to leave my contact info, just in case someone turned them in. Then I borrowed my friend Susan’s metal detector, and went down yesterday with my son at 6:30 am to hunt for myself. I had no hope, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t at least try. I swear we even looked where they were ultimately found! But after looking for two hours, the best decision I made was asking for help.

I am so thankful everything turned out okay. I am still in a state of disbelief!! Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, suggestions, ideas, and support. A special and humongous thank you to my son, for sacrificing the hockey practice that he really looks forward to, and to Dave Milsted, the metaldetectingman.com for working so methodically for over two hours, and saving the day (and to John Hill for heavily encouraging us to give him a call)!!