Woman found a 1938 family heirloom ring in parking lot — her decision left an orphaned daughter emotional
An heirloom might mean a lot to a family and losing one can be really difficult for a person. So when a woman returned a 1938 class ring, the recipient was convinced that she was all that was good in the world. Lori Rhew discovered the ring unexpectedly at a parking lot and was determined to give it back to the rightful owner. The ring meant much more than a piece of jewelry to the woman who got it, per WECT News 6.
The ring that Rhew found was a class ring that many graduating high school seniors get when they go to college. The one she found was from 1938 and Rhew felt that it might mean a lot to its owner. So she was determined to find them. "I was at Starbucks on 16th street across the street from Novant," the woman recounted. "I just noticed a shiny object in the corner of the parking lot. And I thought 'This is a beautiful ring.'" It was a Virginia Tech class ring and quite old. "I’m a sentimental person and I appreciate family heirlooms. So, it just didn’t feel right to get rid of it or sell it or give it away," Rhew pointed out.
The woman took help from a magnifying glass and the internet and found out that the ring belonged to a man called Wallace Garst, who had died quite a few years ago. She eventually found out that the man also had a son called Larry Garst. "The internet will tell you just about anything." Rhew felt, "I thought this had to be who had this ring." She was right as she came across a picture of Larry Garst in an obituary and he was wearing that ring in that photo. "I just could not believe it." Rhew continued her search for a person she could return the ring to and found out Larry Garst had a daughter called Laura Stoy, who was beyond grateful to have her dad's ring.
"I think he wore the ring because it made him carry about [a piece] of his father around with him," Stoy commented. Rhew called the man's daughter and told her that she had found something that belonged to her dad. Stoy had lost her dad only about a year ago. "I was a little overwhelmed with emotion," the daughter expressed. She was glad that she could have something that reminded her of her dad. "I really feel like it was serendipitous that my dad was reaching out; he knew I had been thinking about him and he was popping in to say 'I’m here.'"
Rhew and Stoy bonded because of the incident and have now become great friends. "It’s a great feeling to do the right thing," Rhew admitted. "I think Lori represents the good in the world and there are nice people out there and that the universe has a way of trying to connect people even when they’re gone and Lori was a great connection," Stoy pointed out. Rhew wanted to give the ring back because she knew what a thing like this could mean, after she lost her mom and dad 2 years ago, according to the outlet's YouTube video.