News We Love: Massachusetts man finds, returns lost wedding ring to New York woman
A New York woman’s trip to Hampton Beach, Massachusetts, took a turn for the worse when she lost her wedding ring in the tide.
Watch the story in the video above
Visiting her family hundreds of miles from home, Kelsey Battease feared she would never see her ring again.
“My heart dropped, my stomach started to hurt, I was just like, I lost my ring, I couldn’t believe it,” said Battease.
In an effort to help, Battease’s mother posted on Facebook, asking for help in finding the ring.
Good Samaritan Arthur Fleming saw the post and decided to help, bringing his metal detector to search the beach.
“I see the post; the mother said, 'My daughter has lost her wedding ring, can somebody help?'” Fleming said.
He drove in from Massachusetts and spent hours combing the beach.
“While I was in the water, I did find a pair of sunglasses, a quarter, a penny, so it’s not like I wasn’t finding anything,” said Fleming.
Battease knew the exact spot where she lost the ring, near mini golf, which helped guide Fleming in his search.
After a day of looking, he was ready to give up until his metal detector beeped on his walk back to the car.
“So as soon as I saw it, I go, that’s the ring. I had seen a picture, so I knew that was it,” said Fleming.
Going above and beyond, Fleming drove all the way to New York to return the ring in person, not wanting to risk it getting lost in the mail and accommodating Battease’s busy life as a mom.
“I'm just blown away. I’m speechless at how kind and selfless he is,” Battease said.
Fleming said that not every item he finds at the beach has such a happy ending.
“It’s a thrill when you see the smile — when you see the smile and all that, it’s a thrill,” said Fleming.
