LAGRANGE, Ga. – Over 16 years ago a high school class ring was thought to be lost forever, until now.
In 2002, Alan Shaw’s son wore his LaGrange High School class ring to the mall without telling him. While there, his son lost the ring.
Flash forward to 2009 when Sandra Byrd was walking in the mall with her husband when she looked down and saw Alan’s class ring on the ground.
She noticed the name “Alan” engraved on the ring along with the year 1980 and school LaGrange. But after some research, she learned there was no Alan who graduated that year.
For the next nine years, Sandra attempted to find Alan so she could return what he once lost. In 2015, Sandra posted to the LaGrange High School Alumni Facebook page where her post was circulated by more than 3,000 people.
Sadly, Alan was still not located.
Now, three years later there was a break in the search as Sandra’s 2015 post resurfaced once more.
Further digging revealed that Alan Shaw got his ring in 1980 but graduated in 1981. Sandra learned that Alan now lives just over the state border in Alabama.
11Alive’s Matt Pearl met Sandra just as she was getting ready to make the special delivery.
“He was like, ‘Is there any reward money?’ And I was like, ‘No. I just want to make sure it gets back,’” Sandra said.
When asked why that was, Sandra said, “Because I have a ring myself, and I know how I’d feel if I misplaced it. And I just wanted to make his day.”
On April 14, 2018, just 16 years later at the very mall where the ring went missing Sandra and Alan met.
Sandra and Alan’s story is a reminder that sometimes a simple and thoughtful gesture can make all the difference to someone.
