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CNN Live Today

Lost and, Miraculously, Found

Aired August 16, 2001 - 14:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOIE CHEN, CNN ANCHOR: On love and marriage, here's a story from the heart involving a lost wedding ring, a lucky swim and a happy anniversary.

Dave Walker of our affiliate KCRA has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVE WALKER, KCRA REPORTER (voice-over): This improbable story begins here, in the swirling San Juan rapids of the American river. Jeff Lee was helping another swimmer out of the water, like these swimmer, when...

DAVID LEE, JEFF LEE'S FATHER: I grabbed for Jeff, for his hand, and in the process, Jeff's wedding ring came off in the middle of the San Juan rapids.

WALKER: Jeff offered a case of beer to the young men to find the ring. They dove and searched, but couldn't find it.

Here's where the story takes on (UNINTELLIGIBLE) proportions. Jeff Lee's nephew was swimming in the same rapids this summer with his buddy, Ryan Schilato (ph).

ADAM LANE, JEFF LEE'S COUSIN: Ryan had a pair of goggles on so he jumped in and he came out with the ring and showed it to us. And we were all stoked, because we thought we were going to pawn off the ring and buy some beer. Then I remembered that my cousin lost a wedding ring there like a year and a half before. So, you know, I got the ring, I saw what it looked like and I called my cousin up, and it was the exact same ring.

WALKER: Not only did they find the wedding ring, but did I tell you? They found it on the anniversary of Jeff and Darcy Lee's (ph) wedding.

LANE: Jeff was stoked. He couldn't believe it. Gave him a big hug and a big smile.

WALKER: And it makes you wonder not just the incalculable odds of this happening, but whether some things, like fate, are just meant to be.

LEE: And for my nephew and his friend to find it, not just a stranger who would have never contacted Jeff, because they would have not known whose ring it was, but for my nephew to find it, that was an incredible coincidence. And to be found on our anniversary, that made it just -- the family was just astounded. We were really floored. It was just really an unusual event.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHEN: No, Uncle Jeff, you were stoked! The story came to us from our friend, Dave Walker, from affiliate KCRA.

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