A pharmacist in Newfoundland and Labrador was reunited with a class ring he thought was lost forever — thanks to a stranger who found it tucked inside a pair of thrifted jeans and spent years trying to return it.
According to CBC, the story centers on Bradley Buckle, co-owner of St. John's Pharmasave, who lost his gold Memorial University ring shortly after graduating in 2002. Nearly 20 years later, the keepsake made its way to him, all because of the persistence of an Ontario man.
Buckle told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show that he had long given up hope of ever seeing the ring again. So, when the Pharmacists' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador received an email from someone who said they had found an item belonging to a pharmacist, it understandably raised an eyebrow. The ring had been missing for nearly two decades, during which time Buckle had moved to Ontario and later returned to Newfoundland and Labrador.
The next morning, Buckle's pharmacy received a call from the man behind the email, Dan Howard.
"He asked me to describe the ring, the markings on the ring, which I did. And then he asked for my middle initial, which I gave him," Buckle said, per CBC. "And then I could just sort of sense this kind of relief in his voice."
Howard said he discovered the ring in the pocket of a pair of jeans he bought from a Goodwill store. Though he estimated its value at $800, he never considered selling it.
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"It sat in the drawer, and I forgot all about it for a long time," Howard said, per CBC. "And then I just pulled it out and thought, well, I'll give it one more shot."
He searched online and matched the name engraved inside the ring to a Facebook photo of Buckle receiving an award from PANL.
"It all comes around in the end," Howard said.
Beyond its heartwarming ending, the story also highlights one of the enduring appeals of thrift shopping. Buying secondhand can help people save money on everyday items such as clothing and household goods — and sometimes uncover rare or valuable finds at a fraction of the cost.
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In this case, an ordinary purchase led to the return of a deeply sentimental item.
There's an environmental benefit, too. Shopping used extends the life of clothing and other products, reducing waste and lowering demand for new goods that require additional raw materials and energy to produce.
For Buckle, however, the ring's value wasn't in its gold but the honesty of the person who chose not to profit from it.
As he told CBC, "Persistence, effort, honesty … it's rare to see somebody with those kind of characteristics."
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