NEW JERSEY — Julie Angelicola’s antique wedding band, a family heirloom dating to 1905, was returned to her on Monday after a month‑long search by NJ Transit employees. Angelicola believed the ring had been accidentally flushed while she was washing her hands in a train bathroom.
How the loss was discovered
While at a restroom aboard an NJ Transit train, Angelicola was meticulously wiping soap from her hands with toilet paper. She says she crumpled the paper, tossed it into the toilet and, after returning to her seat, realized her wedding band was missing. Assuming it had been flushed, she reported the loss to NJ Transit staff.
Transit’s response
NJ Transit’s customer‑service center at Penn Station coordinated a multi‑team effort to locate the ring. General superintendent of equipment David DeGennaro explained that the superintendent ordered the car to be removed from service immediately so crews could inspect the toilet system. “We had to shop the car right away and get it back to the shop to see if we could find it,” DeGennaro said.
Service and inspection manager Eric Sanders described the technical steps: the train was lifted on jacks, the toilet tank was removed and sent to a treatment plant for inspection. When the tank was opened, the ring was found sitting on top of the tank’s interior.
Recovery and reunion
Employee Sharohn Dixon was the first to retrieve the ring from the tank. Later that day, Angelicola met several of the workers at the Penn Station customer‑service center. “I just could not believe it. I was so excited and felt really lucky that they cared to find it,” she said, adding that the decision to take the train out of service was “pretty exceptional.”
The ring holds special significance for Angelicola and her husband. Purchased at an antique shop, it bears engraved initials that match the couple’s nicknames, making it a cherished symbol of their marriage.
Community impact
While the story is a human‑interest piece, it also highlights the dedication of public‑service employees who go beyond routine duties to assist passengers. The coordinated effort underscores the value of responsive transit operations for everyday New Jersey commuters.
Angelica left Penn Station with her historic wedding band safely back on her finger, grateful for the teamwork that turned a potential loss into a heart‑warming reunion.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
