A Tale of Two Rings, 'Miracles Do Happen'

A Michigan woman says she believes in miracles now after she lost her engagement ring in Lake Michigan, and two days later, it was found.

It's a story that reminds me of a miracle I witnessed in my own life several years ago, but first, let me share hers.

"I had reached down to get sand off my leg in the water, in about chest-deep water," Jamie Kennedy told ABC News. "When I got the sand off my legs, it was in between in my fingers and in my ring. I pushed up with my thumb to get it out, and I must've pushed up hard and I lost it."

Kennedy says she and a friend both started looking for the 1.3-carat diamond ring with their feet and hands.

"Our 10-year-old boys had goggles, and we searched and searched and searched for about 45 minutes," she said.

Their search came up empty. A downtrodden Kennedy hoped someone on social media could help.

"Feeling beyond sad, sick, and disappointed that I lost my wedding ring IN Lake Michigan today," she wrote in a Facebook post. "I don't usually believe in miracles but if anyone sees any posts on Facebook or hears anything about found rings in South Haven let me know."

Eventually, John Dudley, president of the West Michigan Detector Club, saw her post. The Good Samaritan reached out to Kennedy and took his metal detector to the lake.

"She lost it on a Friday and I didn't go out until Sunday," he said. "It was two days later, which makes it even more bizarre. The waves were terrible. I'm a pretty good-sized guy, and the waves were knocking me over."

"But 30 to 45 minutes later I got a good signal in the water about waist deep," Dudley continued. "I scooped up whatever the signal was and there was a ring in the bottom. I went, 'Oh my gosh.'"

"When I turned the ring over I knew it was hers because she had shown me a few pictures," he explained. "I gave a thumbs up to her, and she just came running out to the water. I gave her ring back, and she just started bawling and gave me a great big hug."

"I seriously think my heart skipped a beat," Kennedy shared. "I jumped up and ran out there. I started bawling of course."

Dudley's description of what happened helps put it into perspective.

"It was pretty huge actually," he said. "You find things, coins, and you find jewelry on occasion in the water. You find lots of pieces of miscellaneous garbage, but when you know something is there and you can find it and return it, it's like bowling a 300 game. I think this is the best by far."

The amazing result gave Kennedy a lift.

"When I put it on Facebook I said, 'I don't usually believe in miracles,' and now I know there's always hope," Kennedy said. "Miracles can happen, and there's still nice people in the world. It's just amazing to know there's so many good people still out there."

A similar miracle happened to me.

Several years ago, while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, my wedding ring slipped off my finger into the murky water. I frantically searched for it -- even opening my eyes in the water -- but to no avail. I started to panic.

I prayed to the Lord for help, and there, walking on the beach in close proximity to me, was a man with a metal detector. I stopped him, asking if he would search for the ring in the water. He agreed.

A short time later, he had a signal. He scooped up the sand under the water, and there it was -- my wedding ring. I believe he said that he only had found two missing rings over the last five years, and mine was one. It was a miracle!

The Lord is faithful!

Like Jamie Kennedy said after her ring was found, "Miracles can happen." That's true, and I'll take it one step further. Miracles do happen -- every day.