Wedding ring recovered in landfill

MARGATE, Fla. – It was a simple but heartbreaking mistake.

Still, the story of how Brian McGuinn accidentally threw out his wife’s $10,000 custom-made wedding ring has a happy ending. After plowing through dirty diapers, broken glass and several unmentionables at the county landfill, the 34-year-old financial adviser found the family jewel.

The misadventure began Oct. 30 when McGuinn’s wife, Anna, handed him the ring to put in her jewelry box while she showered.

He grabbed it at the same time he was getting ready to throw out an old razor. Without thinking, he chucked both things.

The …

MARGATE, Fla. – It was a simple but heartbreaking mistake.

Still, the story of how Brian McGuinn accidentally threw out his wife’s $10,000 custom-made wedding ring has a happy ending. After plowing through dirty diapers, broken glass and several unmentionables at the county landfill, the 34-year-old financial adviser found the family jewel.

The misadventure began Oct. 30 when McGuinn’s wife, Anna, handed him the ring to put in her jewelry box while she showered.

He grabbed it at the same time he was getting ready to throw out an old razor. Without thinking, he chucked both things.

The couple didn’t realize the mistake until the next morning. By then, Waste Management had already collected the garbage.

Desperate, Anna McGuinn, 31, called the division of Waste Management that processes the garbage. Officials there said her husband could come and search.

Plant worker Joel Ryan said McGuinn was sifting and trudging through the county landfill for more than 30 minutes.

“Nastiness you wouldn’t believe,” McGuinn said. “Everything unsanitary you could think of crossed my path at least a couple times. I took an extraordinarily long shower and toothbrushes were used.”

But he found it – a tiny glimmer surrounded by black sludge.

“I was ecstatic,” he said. “It was like winning the lottery. It was probably one of the best moments ever.”