A chance discovery became a special Christmas gift. Watch video
When David Penner lost his wedding band at least 15 years ago, he never expected to see it again. The ring had fallen off his finger somewhere among the many acres Wyckoff's Tree Farm in White Township, and a return visit to search for it proved fruitless.
But on Monday, thanks to a chance discovery by the farm's owner this year, the ring was back on Penner's finger after years hidden among the soil.
"I thought it was a miracle," said Penner, who is 68 and lives in Great Meadows.
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The reunion was bittersweet for Penner. His wife, Nancy Penner, died on Sept. 30 at the age of 67, after the couple had been married for 42 years. With the return of the ring she gave him on July 20, 1974, he feels a part of her is back in his life.
"This was a piece to come back to me, in her absence," he said.
John Wyckoff, a third-generation tree farmer, came upon the ring by chance one morning in April. As he rode on the back of a tractor sticking trees into the ground, he caught a glint of something in the soil. He asked the driver to stop, and sifted through the dirt to find a ring. He had often found lost trifles on the farm, like sunglasses and children's toys, but never something as valuable as a wedding band.
Noting a distinctive pattern on the outside and, inscribed within, "To David. Love, Nancy" and a wedding date, Wyckoff hoped with a large enough platform, the news of his discovery might reach the right person before Christmas. He got his wish.
A video and post on NJ.com last week drew interest from readers, and soon people were reaching out to Wyckoff.
"I got probably about half a dozen emails of people trying to give me leads," Wyckoff said. "One was right on."
Penner's sister-in-law was the first person to call him to alert him to the discovery. Watching the video on Saturday, he was immediately sure that it was his ring. His sister-in-law urged him to call Wyckoff's as soon as possible. But Penner didn't call -- he drove right over.
The farm was swarming with people on the busy Saturday, but Wyckoff took the time to invite Penner into his house to see the ring. Penner knew the date within the ring, which Wyckoff had withheld when sharing the story. But Wyckoff wanted to be prudent, and asked for a wedding certificate as well. Penner offered to show ID, but Wyckoff insisted.
"That's no problem," Penner remembered saying. "I'll go to the safe deposit box on Monday get out the certificate."
Penner is now wearing a wedding band for the first time since the day he lost it. He never replaced it, feeling there could be no proper replacement for the original ring.
"We had each other," said Penner. "That was the main thing."
Andrew Doerfler may be reached at adoerfler@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @adoerfler or on Facebook.