Woman Reunited with Diamond Ring Flushed away 13 Years ago
May 23, 23
(IDEX Online) - A woman has been reunited with her diamond ring, 13 years after she accidentally flushed it down the toilet.
Mary Strand, 71, was astonished to learn that workers at a wastewater plant near her home in Minnesota, USA, had found it while fixing a machine.
Metropolitan Council, the authority that operates the plant, launched a "needle in a haystack" Facebook campaign to find the owner, asking for photos that might match the distinctive ring.
Hundreds of people responded, but Mary had the picture that matched. Her husband David, 75, had given her a 33rd wedding anniversary gift — a wide, gold band studded with a large, marquise diamond in the center and accented with 12 smaller diamonds.
Two jewelers confirmed that Mary was the rightful owner.
She was delighted to get the ring back, even though though some of the smaller stones had broken off. "This is my ring, it's nice to see it again," she said as she was presented with her long-lost jewelry.
As it happens, the couple actually own a sewer and drain cleaning business. Despite their best efforts at the time, they'd been unable to find the ring.
Pics courtesy Metropolitan Council, show Mary and (inset) her ring.