Guy drops engagement ring in the ocean, but strangers come and save the day
To be fair to Matthew Picca, in his words, “I didn’t drop it. The ring fell!” Either way, having your engagement ring plunge into a body of water named the Cape Fear River sounds like an inauspicious omen. However, when the engagement ring Matthew Picca meant to give his bride-to-be (Kayla Harrity) fell into the water, the young couple gained more than they could ever have expected.
According to Renee Spencer of Stateportpilot.com, Picca and Harrity have known each other most of their lives, having attended the same church since they were children. While they were mildly teased by their families and told they should date, nothing happened until Picca’s family invited Harrity’s over for dinner.
That night, Harrity says, “We just hit it off.” Fast-forward six years, with Picca planning to propose. He and Harrity have brought her family to their vacation to share the place they love so dearly. Picca hopes to pop the question in front of her family at a ring toss, but changes plans after his mother tells him she is coming down for a surprise visit. Instead, he plans to let Harrity see his mother, and turn to him in surprise—where he will be on his knee, waiting to ask her to marry him.
Up until this point, Picca’s proposal went well. However, as he opened the box to present the ring to Harrity, it fell out, bounced on the deck, and fell through a crack into the water below.
Harrity didn’t get to see her ring before it plunged into the water; both she and Picca were in shock. He continued with the proposal, upset that he had lost the brand-new ring, until someone at the bar told the couple that the water under the deck wasn’t deep, and there was a chance they could find the ring.
Harrity’s sister was among the first in the water, frantically searching for her sister’s engagement ring. Another early responder was Kyle Blusher, a bar patron celebrating his birthday with friends. People combed the water for two hours, even contacting the coast guard, before Harrity was able to borrow goggles from a nearby local.
Once the searchers had goggles, it took less than 15 minutes for it to be found—by birthday boy Blusher, no less. Now with the ring in his hand, Picca once again proposed to Harrity, in front of the soaking wet crowd of helpers.
Says Picca, who assures that Blusher will be invited to the wedding, of that night, “It’s a much better story now, but it was so depressing when it fell out.” Ultimately, though, Picca and Harrity didn’t just gain the ring—they gained the love of support of both their friends and family, and of strangers, which may be the most uplifting gift yet.
(Image via Twitter)
