When Paul Benson, a 1964 graduate of St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, opened his front door on a quiet November morning, he was greeted by an unexpected visitor: the school’s alumni director and a Seattle‑based metal‑detector enthusiast who had traveled across the country to return a long‑lost class ring.
How a ring vanished and resurfaced
In the summer of 1979, Benson’s brother Eric borrowed the gold‑plated ring and took it on a trip to Washington’s Puget Sound. While wrestling with friends on a beach, Eric slipped the ring onto a rock for a brief moment. “I just took the ring off and put it on a rock,” he recalled, “but as the tide rolled in, I realized the mistake I made.” The tide swept the ring away, and it remained missing for nearly five decades.
Eric, now residing in Israel, feared his brother’s reaction. “My brother is gonna kill me,” he remembered thinking at the time.
Discovery by a dedicated hobbyist
In November 2025, Lucas Thrun, an avid metal‑detectorist from Seattle, was conducting a low‑tide search along the same shoreline when his detector signaled a find. The ring’s engraving – the school’s name and the initials “PEB” – gave Thrun the clues he needed. He reached out to St. Raphael Academy alumni, and together they traced the ring back to Paul Benson.
“The stuff that people in my hobby dream about, and to be able to experience it, I’m at a loss for words,” Thrun said of the moment.
A heartfelt reunion
Thrun drove to Pawtucket, and Eric flew in from Israel to be present for the hand‑over. Benson, who was napping when the alumni director and Thrun arrived, was initially stunned but quickly expressed gratitude. “If it wasn’t for him, it would just be a lost memory,” he said.
For Eric, the incident became a lesson in responsibility. “I’ll just borrow it for the summer,” he recalled, “little did I know it would be a 47‑year history.” He added, “Next time I take the ring, I’m gonna ask him.”
Family, faith, and the power of community
The ring’s return sparked memories of Benson’s mother and family, and reinforced his belief in the goodness of people. “It’s about life in general and how pieces fall into place, and Lucas brought that together for me,” he reflected.
Stories like this highlight the enduring ties of alumni networks, the dedication of hobbyists who preserve pieces of personal history, and the way small acts of kindness can bridge decades and continents, reminding us that faith, family, and community remain the bedrock of our neighborhoods.
Original reporting: NBC 10 WJAR (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
