Ring Story: Lost and Found

Ring Story: Lost and Found

Last September, Karen Wimberly ’87, M ’88* lost her class ring. She was on her way to Clemson to watch the Texas A&M football game with her daughter Katie Wimberly ’19 when she stopped at the rest area on I-385. She remembers the north side restrooms were closed for cleaning, so she used the ones on the south side. When she got back in the car and began driving again, she noticed her ring was gone. It was a sinking feeling.

“I turned around as soon as I could and went back to the rest area, but I did not see it anywhere,” Wimberly said. “I was heartbroken. I cried nearly all the way to Clemson.” As soon as she got to her daughter’s apartment, Wimberly posted about the ring on Twitter. Within an hour, the post had been re-tweeted over 50 times and almost 200 by the end of the day, according to Wimberly.

The following Sunday, she posted on Facebook and also called the alumni office to give her information in case someone turned up with the ring. Thankfully, someone did. Frances Purswell-Montoya found Wimberly’s ring on the ledge of the sink in the rest area. Her niece, Rita Ann Roberts, posted pictures of the found ring on Facebook, which was then seen by Wimberly’s cousin who phoned Wimberly about the post. Wimberly and Roberts ended up trying to reach each other at the same time, since Roberts had also gotten in touch with the alumni office and was given Wimberly’s contact information.

Finally, the two met, and Wimberly was reunited with her ring: “I was crying as I hugged her and she returned my ring to me. I truly believe getting my ring back was a gift from God.”