Not all heroes wear capes. Some go around with a metal detector
Imagine: You’re on your honeymoon with your beloved. You celebrate newlywed bliss with a beach day, nothing but listening to the ocean waves while feeling the sand in-between your toes. Euphoria quickly turns to dread, however, as you discover you’ve lost the very important trinket meant to symbolize your undying love—the wedding ring!
Chaos ensues, then resignation. But suddenly, out of nowhere, you receive a message that your ring has been found and recovered by a friendly … Lego man? Talk about an emotional rollercoaster.
Strange as it sounds, this was a very real situation. The Independent reported that Richard Whetter, 44, and his new bride Anne, 42, had been strolling along Portelet Bay in Jersey, Channel Islands, during their honeymoon when Richard realized his wedding ring had gone missing. Not quite used to wearing it yet, Richard had taken the ring off to go swimming, then forgot to put it back on. “My heart sank,” he lamented. For all they knew, the ring was probably long gone, likely picked up and pawned by one the area’s famous Jersey cows.
This adorable face is up to no good.Giphy
The worried couple alerted the porter at their hotel, who thankfully knew exactly who to contact for such a crisis.
Luckily for the Whetters, Jersey is home to Steve Andrews, a local metal detectorist who is extremely good at what he does. Andrews’ Instagram is full of recovered relics—everything from old coins to vintage WW2 explosive shells.
Turning his passion into service, Andrews regularly offers his metal detecting skills at no charge to those who need help. For each find, he takes a picture of the recovered item next to a Lego replica of himself, metal detector and all. Cause why not?
“I got it as a jokey present from my sister, and it just stuck,” Andrews said, according to Good News Network. “The Lego man is just a nice thing to send to people – I find their item and take a photo as a sort of ‘I’ve found it!’ It certainly does make good news feel even cheerier."
Andrews found the Whetter’s ring after only about 10 minutes, one of his “quickest searches ever completed,” and now Richard and Anne have not only some welcome relief, but an adorable little memento.
Metal detecting is a bit of an obscure hobby, but one with evident benefits (not just counting the potential payoff of certain finds). In addition to getting outdoor exercise, there’s also quite a bit of mental stimulation that goes into the pastime. Metaldetector.com boasts that a hobbyist will learn about geology, biology, electronics and even meteorology as they perfect their treasure-hunting skills. Not to mention the built-in history lessons one could acquire, or the fact that each successful haul can help clean up the environment.
Plus, as this story has shown us, it can help bring people together in heartwarming ways. Keep doing what you do, Steve Andrews! You and your Lego mini-me are making the world a better place, one epic find at a time.
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