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'Miracle find': Detectorist reunites Greater Victoria woman with missing ring

Deborah Parker's wedding ring was found after two weeks lost at the bottom of Lookout Lake

Against all odds, a Colwood woman has been 含羞草研究社渕iraculously含羞草研究社 reunited with her wedding ring after losing it in Lookout Lake.

For over two weeks, Deborah Parker含羞草研究社檚 gold ring lay lost among the stones and the weeds at the bottom of the 含羞草研究社渕urky含羞草研究社 lake, after it unknowingly slipped off her finger during a quick dip to escape the hot weather.

Desperate to find the ring, which originally belonged to her mother, Parker and her family made several attempts to recover it. Her 13-year-old granddaughter even threw on a pair of swimming goggles and searched the lake for nearly an hour, but to no avail.

含羞草研究社淲e had no luck at all,含羞草研究社 said Parker, a grandmother of 10. 含羞草研究社淢y husband said there was no way we would find it, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.含羞草研究社

In a last ditch attempt, Parker posted a plea for help on the Colwood Community Facebook page, and coming to her rescue was View Royal resident Craig Shotton, a 含羞草研究社減rofessional hobbying含羞草研究社 detectorist.

Shotton offered to travel to Lookout Lake that same morning to search for the ring with his metal detector.

含羞草研究社淚 really was shocked 含羞草研究社 that some stranger would be kind enough to spend part of their Sunday and go out to look for it,含羞草研究社 said Parker.

An experienced detectorist of five years, this isn含羞草研究社檛 the first time Shotton has come to the aid of a distressed local. He含羞草研究社檚 had previous success in two other searches and also lists a gold American coin from the 1880s, worth an estimated $2,000, and a Spanish coin from 1827 among his personal discoveries. 

So before arriving at the lake, Shotton said that he felt 80 per cent confident that he could find the ring. But when he saw the 含羞草研究社渃loudy含羞草研究社 lake and realized that he would be wading in water up to four-feet deep, the chances of a find dropped to 40 per cent.

Despite the odds stacked against him, Shotton and his trusty metal detector persisted with the search, ignoring false alarms such as a lead fishing weight and a drinks can ring-pull. 

However, as time crept on, he became less optimistic and decided to call it a day, but then Shotton struck gold, quite literally.

含羞草研究社淚t took me maybe three or four tries to scoop it out of the water, but when I raised the scoop out of the water, there was an absolutely huge yellow gold band sitting on top of the gravel,含羞草研究社 said Shotton. 含羞草研究社淚 couldn含羞草研究社檛 believe I found it. I handed it to Deborah含羞草研究社檚 daughter, Annalise, who was there helping me and she was in tears almost immediately.含羞草研究社

Parker was reunited with the ring later that day.

含羞草研究社淭o me, it was a miracle,含羞草研究社 said Parker. 含羞草研究社淚 was really shocked 含羞草研究社 I had a little cry.含羞草研究社

About his good deed, Shotton said it felt 含羞草研究社渁mazing含羞草研究社 to help. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 hard to describe the joy of bringing happiness to somebody like that,含羞草研究社 said Shotton.

A couple of days later the pair met so Parker could properly thank Shotton.

含羞草研究社淗e was wonderful, and his wife Michele was wonderful too, and I gave them a hug,含羞草研究社 said Parker. 含羞草研究社淚've told him that if he ever needs anything to call me. And my husband含羞草研究社檚 a retired electrical contractor, so he含羞草研究社檚 offered his help if ever Craig needs any electrical things fixed.含羞草研究社

The feel-good story has captured the hearts of the community who have praised Shotton含羞草研究社檚 kindness.

含羞草研究社淣ot all heroes wear capes, is one of the comments that I saw on Facebook,含羞草研究社 said Parker.

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About the Author: Ben Fenlon

Multimedia journalist with the Greater Victoria news team.
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