Lost wedding ring sets off tedious search in recycling bin. Then worker ‘struck gold’
A lost wedding ring set off a tedious search in a recycling bin — then a South Carolina worker “struck gold.”
Melanie Harper was at a recycling center when her wedding band slipped off and fell into one of the bins, the city of Greenville wrote Jan. 30 in a Facebook post.
Harper said she thought the chances of finding the ring — made of diamond and white gold — were “slim to none.” But she decided to send an email about the tossed piece of jewelry just in case.
“If the ring is found during the course of processing the recycling, I would be most appreciative if someone could contact me,” Harper reportedly said in her email.
Harper’s luck took a turn after the city’s Public Works Department jumped into action. A crew spread the bin’s contents onto the ground before spending hours sifting through discarded boxes and other household items, photos show.
Then one of the workers “struck gold.” The worker — named Travis Golden — found the ring before it was returned to Harper, officials said.
The city’s Facebook post racked up more than 1,500 reactions as social media users loved reading about the sparkly surprise. Several online comments praised Golden and his co-workers for completing the “nearly impossible” feat.
This story was originally published January 31, 2024 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Lost wedding ring sets off tedious search in recycling bin. Then worker ‘struck gold’."
