When Arvid and Marlous were in the parking lot of an ALDI in Naples, Florida, in March 2024, they found a priceless object lying on the asphalt in a handicapped parking spot: a wedding ring. “I saw that there was a bunch of leaves on the ground, and then, I saw something shiny,” Marlous recalled to WINK News. “I bent it down and picked it up. I thought it was an earring, and I put it in the cupholder of the car. And then, when we got home, I was looking at it, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s a wedding band, and there’s some inscription on it.’”
After finding the engraved silver band, the couple contacted the news publication on Monday, March 18, 2024, with the story, hoping that the article would reach the rightful owners. Since Arvid and Marlous just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, they empathized with the couple and said if they were in their shoes, they would be devastated. “We know that if it was ours, we’d want it [it] to be back after that long,” Marlous said. “Whoever had the ring, they’ve had it for 54 years, so we definitely want them to have it back.” The two of them noted that finding the owner would be the best anniversary gift for them—and an even more rewarding present for the owners.
Once WINK News published the story on Monday, Edie Kelly came across the feature and recognized the wedding band. “All of a sudden, I came across the article, and I’m looking at it—kept looking at it,” Edie recalled. “After I read it a couple of times, I said, ‘I think that’s your ring.’” A few hours after the piece went live, Edie and Brian Kelly contacted the publication, letting them know that they were the rightful owners. The news team asked the couple to verify the inscription inside the band to confirm they were the ones who lost it, which they were able to do successfully.
Edie and Brian said they were ecstatic that someone found their wedding ring. “I had given up hope that we would never find it because it had been about a month,” the couple revealed. “We just assumed it was gone.” Since Arvid and Marlous restored their faith with their good deed and selfless act, the owners plan on meeting them. “We thought we’d take them for lunch or dinner,” Edie shared. They arranged a get-together, which will take place in the near future, according to the outlet.