Want to hear a fun story that has nothing to do with cancer?
I edited the following conversation and added commentaries/notes in {brackets} for clarity. I am sharing with Sherry’s permission.
September of 2010, I received the following private message on Facebook from a lady named “Sherry” that I did not know:
i found a class ring years ago with your name on it, is it yours?
I responded: Possibly. What is the year on it? I had my year on one side of it.
Sherry responded: 1983
I replied: That is the correct year. What school is on it and what sport depicted on it? Where did you find it? Lost that thing in the eighties, but not sure exactly where. {NOTE: I knew I had lost it in South Texas in the Aransas Pass/Corpus Christi area, but not sure exactly where}
Sherry responded: what high school did you graduate from? what sport did you do ? i found it on a beach if you can tell me the answers its probably yours. What did your ring look like ?
I said: It should have a swimmer on the side. I graduated from Lee High in Midland. I’m wanting to think it had rebels on the side but can’t be totally sure. It was a traditional non expensive class ring. I don’t recall exactly how it looked as I haven’t thought of it in years and years. My birthday is in September so I’m thinking it was the traditional birthstone color, maybe a green? But I don’t recall for sure. {NOTE: my favorite color is blue}
I underwent intensive chemo two years ago and my brain is a bit scrambled ever since. It was a cheaper metal, not gold or anything expensive. I wish I could remember more, but can’t. I went to a number of beaches when younger. I’d be curious to know which beach you found it on?
{NOTE: OK Sherry et al, I confess that last sentence was an intentional misleading statement. I knew if I lost it on a beach, which was quite possible, that it was probably Port Aransas as I was waiting tables there and frequenting the beach often. I only went to one beach as best I recall: Mustang Island in Port Aransas, Texas.}
Sherry replied: wow i think its yours! it is from Robert E Lee High School and yes there is a swimmer. and yes its rebels!!!!! i found it on the beach in port aransas about 15 yrs. ago or more. ive had it in my jewlery box ever since thinking it would be awesome to give to the guy who lost it. and by the way …. the stone is blue. and ther are a hell of alot of “ROBERT BAXTERS!! it is engraved “robert t baxter” on the inside.
{NOTE: she is contacting me in 2010, so she found it in 1995. I lost it in 1985. Wild, eh?}
I responded: Actually, it should be Robert I Baxter on the inside. I was working in Port Aransas after high school. That is wild. I must say, I’m impressed. I purchased my 17 year old daughter’s class ring 1 year ago and am in the process of buying my 16 year old’s ring right now. I mentioned I lost mine years ago, wasn’t sure where. I actually thought it was stolen from me, but am relieved it was just goofy me losing it on the beach. I live in North Fort Worth. Do you happen to live in Texas? I was talking to mom and we think we pieced something together. My original class ring was a bit too big for me. It fell off as I was walking to class one day. I think I only owned it a few days when that happened. I noticed something shiny in the dirt a few days later. I picked it up and it was my ring. It was crushed flat. I sent it off and had it redone. We think that they messed up on the middle initial; vague memory of that being the case.
Sherry replied: so would u like me to send it to you? i dont live in texas anymore. i moved to colorado 3 yrs. ago. but i will clean it up and gladly send it to y’all.
I responded: You bet. Thanks so much. Very kind of you.
Sherry stated: its been kinda an off again on again project of mine that now has been completed, yippee! ok ill send it this week.
I said: No hurries. Thanks so much. I can imagine this is a small chapter of your life coming to a neat conclusion. Doesn’t happen that often enough, does it? Blessings to you and yours.
…a short amount of time passes and I get the following message from Sherry: did u get it yet??
I responded: I’m glad you found the links on my FB page. You’ve generated quite a bit of goodwill because of your efforts to find me. This has been a blast.
Here’s the link to it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6XE0eQYxlw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I released this video on October 10th, 2010. I filmed it and edited on my iPhone. A little cheesy, but fun nonetheless.
Now, having said all that, here’s a follow up communication from Sherry sent yesterday, August 14th, 2014;
We found you on fb and were able to return your lost class ring. We stayed fb friends and over the years have seen pics of each others lives. Did you know that I’ve been a nurse for over 20 yrs? I didn’t know you were a nurse too until today when I started watching the story of your challenging dx. I hope you find some joy today in the video you made about the ring. It always gives me a smile and a warm heart. God bless you.
Ok people, how cool is that? I mean, Sherry spent many years working on combing through names on the internet, then on Facebook, trying to find a needle in a haystack type deal to return my class ring. I was so honored and touched. Then to find out we are both RN’s!!! I think that is super.
Sherry, your efforts to return this ring really generated a lot of goodwill and warm hearts. It is sitting on my desk where I can stare at it each day. I hope others find joy in the story and the video as we have.
Walking Through This Together 