- Stephen Meyer lost his wedding ring in 2016 while swimming in Lake Belle Taine, Minnesota
- Family searched for the ring for years using various methods without success
- The ring was found on July 20 by Meyer's niece Harper in shallow water after drought lowered the lake
A family's long search for a lost wedding ring has finally come to a happy ending after a chance discovery brought it back nearly 9 years later, reported People.
Stephen Meyer lost his wedding ring in 2016 while swimming with his son in Minnesota's Lake Belle Taine, where his family has a cabin, according to the Pioneer Press. The ring slipped off his finger and sank to the bottom of the lake.
Over the years, Meyer searched for the ring during his summer visits to the cabin. His family also joined the search. Meyer's mother-in-law, Malana Johansen, who owns the cabin, said she looked for the ring many times because she went swimming every night. She said the family spent a lot of time searching for it, dredged the sand, and even used a large magnet given by a neighbour, but they could not find it.
The search finally ended on July 20 when Meyer's 9-year-old niece, Harper, visited her grandmother's cabin for the first time since she was a toddler. Unaware that the ring had been missing for years, she was standing along the lake shore when she noticed a small shining object in the shallow water.
Johansen said Harper simply picked it up and said it was a ring. She explained that the lake had gone down by about 30 feet since last fall because of drought conditions.
She added that the ring was still in the water, but Harper did not have to go into the lake to reach it because it was just there.
The family was left speechless after Harper found the ring, especially after years of unsuccessful searches. Johansen also said she was surprised that the ring remained in such great condition after spending so much time in the lake. She added that it only needed a little cleaning and still looked beautiful.
After losing the original ring, Meyer had bought a new one. He is now wearing both rings.
Johansen said Harper's discovery was a wonderful moment after a very difficult year for the child. She explained that Harper's family had lost their home in Sierra Madre, California, during the wildfires in early 2025. Johansen said Harper had gone through a lot over the past year, and having something so exciting happen was wonderful.
Johansen also joked that Harper could take up a summer job helping people find lost belongings. She said Harper wants to become a teacher and will be a wonderful one, but suggested that during the summer she could offer to help people find things they had lost.
Speaking about the recovered wedding ring, Johansen said the story would become part of the family's history and be remembered for years to come.
