Couple Finds Engagement Ring Lost on Vacation NINE Years Ago!

…. And all the way over in Italy!

Hey, it happens to the best of us. When you’re on vacation, your mind as well as your body relaxes. We’ve all left something behind in a hotel room, dropped something while out exploring the sights and sounds of a city, or returned home to find some items mysteriously disappeared, forever.

When Justin and Margaret Mussel from New Jersey travelled to Italy nine years ago, something similar happened. They went to visit Margaret’s family in San Marco dei Cavoti, in the Campania region of the country (south). After a long day trip exploring the famous archaeological site of Pompeii, the couple enjoyed a well earned nap. But when Margaret woke up, she realised her engagement ring had slipped off her finger. Uh oh.

They tore the house apart without finding the ring, and assumed the worst. They had no idea where exactly it had fallen, and since San Marco dei Cavoti is on a hill, it could have ended up anywhere thanks to rainy weather in the days following the ring’s disappearance. Margaret was devastated – not only had she lost something of huge sentimental value, but since she didn’t know if she’d ever have a chance to come back to Italy, she really lost all hope of seeing her ring again.

Fast forward nine years and Margaret and Justin found themselves back in Italy, in the town where the engagement ring went missing. They were sitting outside the family home one evening, when the impossible happened. We’ll let Justin tell it from here…

“It was around 11 p.m. and we had just come back from the piazza. Our neighbour was over and offered me a seat, so she dragged a bench in front of the door,” he says. “It just happened to line up with a crack in the sidewalk.”

This particular crack kept flickering every time a car went past, so Justin’s curiosity was piqued. “I went inside and grabbed a screwdriver. I dug something out [of the crack], and lo and behold, it was the ring.” Unbelievable!

Margaret didn’t believe Justin until she saw both rings side by side – her original engagement ring and a replacement ring Justin had bought her after the loss. She now plans to wear the original on her finger (and keep a close eye on it, we’re guessing) and keep the replacement to give to a future daughter-in-law. Talk about good karma!

We bet that particular vacation will be remembered by Justin and Margaret for a long time. And we hope Margaret and her long lost ring never have to part ways again!