By: Jaritza Milca Hernandez.
About seven years ago, my neighbor found a class ring while walking in Miami
Springs. She enlisted my help to return it. Class rings are very personal, representing
the unique memories of someone’s high school experience. I hardly knew how to start
looking, but I knew the ring was special to someone so goodwill and empathy compelled
me to try.
My search was stalled by the pandemic and the ring sat in my jewelry box till
December 2025. I knew I had to start searching for the owner. I decided to employ
social media for help joining several "Lost Class Rings" groups on Facebook posting
detailed descriptions and photographs. I went about my day not expecting much from
my efforts.
The power of the internet is truly remarkable. Just few hours later, a lady from
Tennessee said she had found the owner! She had seen my post and used an online
yearbook with the graduation date on the ring to identify the owner’s full name. A simple
google search later, Jackie Lopez of Hialeah, FL was located!
I contacted the owner that same day; she couldn’t believe it! We agreed to meet
at our local library and I returned the ring to Jackie, who had not seen it in over 10
years! The effort, time and dedication of everyone involved culminated in a truly
heartwarming experience finally reuniting a memorable class ring with its owner,
bringing together two parts of a high school memory otherwise lost.
