When Brian McGuinn got married to his wife over five years ago, he never imagined that her 1.5-carat, $10,000 diamond engagement ring would end up in a landfill.
But that's exactly what happened on the night of October 30, when McGuinn accidentally tossed out the custom-designed platinum ring in the bathroom trash -- along with his disposable razor.
After realizing his mistake, McGuinn called the nearby Wheelabrator dump in Pompano Beach, where 2,250 tons of solid waste is processed each day. Wearing a mask, thick leather gloves, a hard hat and a full protective suit, he waded through nine tons of garbage and 10-foot high piles of rotting trash -- determined to retrieve the ring himself.
Although it seemed impossible at the time, McGuinn kept on: "I had a fighting chance," he told the Miami Herald. And 90 minutes later, McGuinn miraculously found the treasured ring -- covered in disgusting black sludge, but still intact.
After getting the ring thoroughly cleaned at the jewelers, Brian McGuinn drove to the office where his wife, Anna McGuinn, worked -- and slipped the ring back on her finger. "It was unbelievable," his wife said. "I'm never taking it off again."
