At a Glance
- A Wisconsin woman has been reunited with her wedding ring 48 years after losing it in her backyard carrot patch.
- Lori Vosters lost the ring in 1977, just seven months after marrying husband Dan.
- Dan and son Jesse used metal detectors and shovels to locate the ring in September 2024.
- Why it matters: The discovery allowed Lori to wear her ring during the holidays for the first time ever, just weeks before the couple’s 49th anniversary.
Lori Vosters of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, received the Christmas gift of a lifetime when her husband and son returned the wedding ring she had lost nearly five decades earlier.
The Day the Ring Vanished
Lori and Dan Vosters married in February 1977. Seven months later, while harvesting carrots behind their home, Lori noticed her wedding band was missing.
“We were harvesting our carrots and after I brought them into the house and started cleaning them, I realized my ring was gone,” she told WBAY TV-2.
Despite searching for hours, Lori never found the ring. Over the years she resigned herself to the idea that it was gone forever.
A Father-Son Search Mission
In September 2024, Dan and the couple’s son Jesse decided the time had come to try again. On Wednesday, September 24, they headed outside equipped with:
- Two metal detectors
- Shovels
- Determination
They spent hours combing the same patch of backyard where Lori had once pulled carrots. Finally, Jesse’s shovel struck something small and metallic. The ring-still intact after almost 50 years in the soil-lay balanced on the tip of the blade.
Keeping the Secret
Father and son agreed immediately that Lori should not know until Christmas. Dan recounted their conversation: “First thing he says is, ‘We’re going to keep this quiet, don’t tell Ma, and we’ll give it to her for Christmas. It’ll be a big secret.'”
To safeguard the surprise they:
- Washed the ring
- Sealed it in an envelope
- Noted the discovery date, the givers’ names, and “St. Anthony”-patron saint of lost items-on the front
- Tucked the envelope inside an old candy box
## Christmas Morning Reveal
On Christmas Day the family gathered as Lori opened the candy box and found the envelope inside. Because she had recently mentioned wanting to see The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere in Las Vegas, she assumed the envelope held tickets.
Instead she pulled out the small package, opened it, and saw her long-lost wedding ring.
“You found my ring?!” she exclaimed. “Oh my God!”
Thanks to Dan and Jesse’s persistence, Lori slipped the ring onto her finger for the first time since 1977, just weeks before the couple mark 49 years of marriage.
Key Takeaways
- Small, everyday actions-harvesting carrots-can lead to lasting, emotional losses
- Never underestimate the power of family effort; 48 years later, the search paid off
- A simple surprise, carefully planned, can become the most memorable gift
