My husband was out with some friends in his Jeep at the Elliot State Forest in Oregon when it became stuck on a large boulder.

While he was trying to get the Jeep unstuck, the boulder he was standing on came loose and he and the rock fell down into a ravine.  It was about 100 yards down a very steep hill and into a creek.

I am a volunteer for the Oregon fire department and heard the tap out and responded to the scene of the accident (knowing that John was out with a couple of friends in his Jeep).

When I got close to the accident I hopped in with the ambulance crew to head up the gravel road.  I heard one of the guys he was with screaming over the radio: “He was too heavy for me to lift!”  I knew that my husband was the only person he could be talking about as the other two guys were much smaller statures.

John is an EMT and knew he was injured badly. While he was lying in the creek waiting for help he slipped his wedding band off (presumably in case his hands were swelling he didn’t want the ring cut off).

He tried to put his wedding band into his pocket, but lost consciousness before he got it safely placed in his pocket.  Once he was rescued from the canyon and creek, his wedding band was missing.

Exactly one year after the accident, I decided to place an order with Apples of Gold Jewelry because they carry the same design he used to have.  Replacing the ring feels like a closure to the story.  It’s allowing us to begin our “new” life together again, differently, yet the same.

An Apples of Gold customer service rep called me immediately to tell me that the ring would be shipped as soon as possible, but she wanted to be sure I knew it would take 7 days since the ring I chose was handmade. I informed her that I did know, but appreciated the call.  The ring showed up in time for Christmas.  It’s perfect. I think it’s actually a higher quality than his original ring.  I can’t wait to surprise him on Christmas with his “new” ring.

That day, I rode into the hospital with John and he admitted at one point that he was “ready to die,” then he felt something on his face (my hand) and he looked up to where I was sitting and realized I was there with him.  He says he thought “I can’t die in front of my wife,” and he held on. The rest as they say is history.

Jen & John, Coos Bay, Oregon

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Read our first real-life jewelry story about a husband who lost his original wedding ring as he struggled to stay alive after a tragic hiking accident at the Elliot State Forest in Oregon–and why replacing that ring was so important to one family.