'Amazing' coincidence reunites couple with lost wedding ring 11 years later

This year, Allison and Robert Melski got an anniversary gift they never expected.

The Cape Breton couple, who celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary this month, were reunited with Robert's wedding ring over a decade after it was lost.

Robert lost the ring while going for a swim in the Bras d'Or Lake during the couple's first wedding anniversary.

His wife, Allison, said they thought it was gone for good.

"Once he saw it was gone, he immediately went back and started looking for it," she told CBC's Maritime Noon. "But obviously… the chances of finding that are slim to none."

The couple looked around both in the water and on the shore, but they couldn't find it. They decided to just get another ring, which Robert has been wearing since then.

Fast forward to September 2019, the Melskis got a call from Robert's cousin, David Melski, who has property in the area where the ring was lost.

David had been walking in the water along the shoreline when he came across the ring. Remembering that his cousin had lost a ring over a decade ago, he decided to give him a call.

"He called [Robert] and let him know, and then my husband told me, and I was just in shock," said Allison. "I couldn't believe this."

David delivered the ring to the Melskis that day, which happened to be their anniversary.

Allison said she can't believe it was found all these years later.

"It makes you wonder how many times that ring went out in the water and came back to shore," she said. "And it's amazing."

She said they know it's Robert's old ring because it's identical to his replacement ring.

The original ring is "a bit worn" and has lost some of its shine from spending almost a decade in saltwater, said Allison.

Once it gets repaired, the old ring will go back to its home on Robert's finger.

But Allison said they'll hang on to its replacement just in case.

"That'll just be a backup," she said.