Ashley Garner, who lost her wedding ring to Ian’s debris, shares with FOX Weather how her prized possessions were recovered after the hurricane.
Fort Myers, Florida – Fort Myers resident Ashley Garner thought she lost her wedding ring forever after Hurricane Ian left her home and destroyed her city.
Garner says he took the ring off for boxing practice but forgot to put it back on days before Ian was hit.
Her family searched for the ring for several days without much luck.
“I thought it was gone forever,” she said.
Ashley Garner is wearing the ring after it was found.
(Ashley Garner/FOX Weather)
During this time, Garner and her family were also preparing for Hurricane Ian, which was predicted to make landfall soon.
Once Ian got hit, the thought of finding her ring went away.
“After the storm, to be honest, I forgot all about it,” she said. “Fort Myers was devastating and that was the last thing on my mind.”
Garner and her family then began cleaning up their home, and about 10 minutes after cleaning up, her ring was found in a pile of brushes next to the garage.
Ashley Garner’s ring in a pile of brushes, after Ian.
(Ashley Garner/FOX Weather)
“I was speechless,” she said.
Garner wasn’t sure what happened to the ring between removing it and putting it back on. However, according to Garner, it is especially meaningful to lose something very precious and find it later, and she knows that her faith in God made it possible.
Ashley Garner and family. She wears a ring that was once lost and found after Ian.
(Ashley Garner/FOX Weather)
“It was a sign of hope that we need to have faith and hope and rebuild stronger with other members of our community,” she said. It made me want to help and share this story with everyone because I need it.”
