Arlington Heights public works employee finds resident's lost wedding ring

Valentine's Day is over, but it's never too late for a romantic gesture.

This week, it came from an unlikely source: Arlington Heights' public works department.

On Thursday, Ryan Holthouse, crew chief with the water department, found a ring while his crew was responding to a water main break near Chestnut Avenue and Olive Street.

"Crossing the street, there was a puddle there, so when I went to step over it and when I went to put my foot down, I saw the ring, right on the edge of the sidewalk," he said.

When he examined it, he saw an inscription and realized the ring was a wedding band.

Now the trick was marrying it to the owner.

"I took it to one of our social media people," he said. "One of the guys posts a lot of stuff on there."

Once the social media net was cast, it wasn't long before it received a nibble.

According to the village, approximately 40 peoples initially reached out, but none of their descriptions matched the inscription.

Then the village received a call from a resident who confirmed the date inscribed on the ring.

The village said the caller's daughter, who now lives in California, saw the post, which had been shared by a friend on Facebook.

She called her parents, who then called to confirm the wedding date.

On Friday afternoon, a resident named Bruce - the village would not disclose his last name - retrieved the ring at public works. It was the second time he had lost it.

"A garbage man found it the first time," Holthouse said. "(This time) he said he was walking his dog and he put his hand in his pocket to get the bags, and when he got home later that night, he realized that it was gone. He was walking around, retracing his steps, kicking snow around."

Holthouse knows the feeling.

"I've also had the same thing happen, so I understand it," he said. "I was luckily able to find the one that I lost in the snow."