Holiday miracle: lost and found
By DIANNE RUSSELL
For newlyweds Will and Amanda Mech – who got married in September – it was heartbreaking when Will lost his wedding ring surfing a few months later. However, this wasn’t just any ring. It was irreplaceable.
Will says, “For our wedding, I was lucky enough to be able to use my Grandpa’s ring as my wedding ring. It has an incredible sentimental value since he is no longer with us. On the weekend of November 9, about two months after the wedding, I went down to Woods Cove beach for a quick swim. I was body surfing like I always do down there and then after I dove through a wave, it slipped off my finger.
“I spent a solid hour looking and even enlisted the help from a couple guys with a mask and snorkel. No luck, so I eventually called it off. I was incredibly bummed that it was gone.”
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Submitted photo
Will and Amanda
Fortunately, a knight in shining armor or rather a knight with a shiny metal detector was going to save the day.
“My mom, Lianne, who lives just up the street, goes to Woods Cove just about every day to swim. One day, about five weeks after I lost the ring, she ran into a guy who had a metal detector. She explained to him that I lost the ring and asked if he would be willing to search for it. She described the ring in depth and exchanged contact information.”
This savior came to be known as “Tracker Joe” to their family.
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Submitted photo
Will’s mother Lianne (holding the ring) and “Tracker Joe”
Will says, “Soon after that, he texted me asking about all of the details of where I lost it, when, and what time of day so he could track the tides. He went out just a few days ago and searched the spot where I told him I lost it. He told me he was under the weather that day and had a bad headache but he thought he would give it a try.”
Thank heavens for Will and Amanda, he did.
“He went into the water, where the waves were breaking and got a hit from his metal detector. He was about to call it quits after his fourth scoop with no luck since he wasn’t feeling well,” says Will. “Something inspired him to try one more time and on the fifth scoop he found my ring. I’m so incredibly thankful that he took the time and put in so much effort to find my ring.”
This was indeed a holiday miracle. It’s impossible to explain events in life that can’t be anticipated and run counter to the logical flow of the universe. The chances of finding a small piece of jewelry in the ocean must be one in billions or even more. Yet it happened. If this story doesn’t make you believe in miracles, nothing will.
So, if anyone needs help finding items in the future, please email “Tracker Joe” at trackerjoe2019@gmail.com.
