MCALESTER, Okla. — Two strangers now connected for life. It only took a ring being lost for 30 years, until the finder posted it online.
Mary Walling lost her ring in 1982.
“I wore this ring everywhere I went, and I was proud of it."
She lost the McAlester High School graduation ring her junior year at Lake Carlton.
“Just goofing off with friends. I looked down, and the ring was gone."
She thought did not think she would never get the it back.
“I was sad, I was really sad."
It sat in the water for years.
Linda Watson's husband ended up finding it while on a stroll with a metal detector.
“He found two class rings, at the time! They drained the lake in '98, so that's about the time we were out there."
They found the other ring's owner quickly. As for Walling's ring, they put it in a drawer and forgot about it.
Watson found it again at the end of last month and posted its picture on Facebook.
“I wanted to get it back to the rightful owner."
A friend spotted the post and sent it to Walling's sister, Giovanna Hasty.
“I said, 'Mary, did you lose your ring?' That's when she told me that she had lost it 30-something years ago."
They decided on a place to meet, and Walling got her ring back.
“I told her I appreciated it and gave her a big hug."
Walling is now excited to pass the ring down to her children.
