Man helped woman reunite with lost ring on Clearwater Beach

TAMPA, Fla. — Our local beaches are full of beauty and sometimes even treasures that people find with metal detectors. One Clearwater man used his hobby to help reunite a woman with a ring that to her is priceless.

Joey Dahlia recently started using his metal detector this summer.

“The first seven days were just screws and bottle caps,” he said.

But that didn’t stop him from continuing his search for treasure.

“I find one piece of jewelry a day. It can be any kind, like costume, garbage or up to a very expensive ring,” Dahlia said.

That’s exactly what happened when he discovered a ring recently.

He said that while most of the jewelry he finds never makes it back to its owner, this case was different. He was approached by people who knew the ring’s owner.

“She shows me a clear picture, and I’m like, ‘That’s the ring, and she can have it back.’” He returned the ring, which had sentimental value.

“I’m always in unique situations, and that was a unique situation for me,” he said. “It wasn’t just a wedding ring, it was very expensive, life changing for either her or me.”

The connection he made with the ring’s owner inspired him to create a lost and found page for other people who lose items at the beach.

“People go in there and post they found stuff, or they lost stuff, and it’s really unique that I was able to do that,” Dahlia said.

The ring’s owner said she lost the ring while near the shoreline and said she is happy to have it back.