MATHIS, Texas — Back in 1983, Roel Saenz was swimming with his girlfriend at Sunrise Beach on Lake Arrowhead near Mathis.
While there, his graduation ring from Alice High School slipped off his finger.
“I didn’t even notice my ring had fallen off my finger for two days,” he said. “I had no idea where it was.”
Saenz had given the ring up as lost until he learned of its whereabouts after a Facebook post.
Dale Braune had gone fishing at Sunrise Beach about five years ago. While casting a net into waters near Saenz’s original loss, he found an Alice Class of 1983 ring with a diamond in the center. It had a name engraved into it.
Braune’s wife, Isabel, knew several people from Alice High School. Through communication on social media, they learned about Saenz’s loss.
I thought I would never see him,” Mrs. Braune said. “But then Roel called me back out of the blue. He then described it to a T. After that, I knew he was the one who lost his ring.”
The ring was still in good condition and looks ready for wearing by Saenz, who was reunited with it earlier this week.
“I thought it was never to be seen until I got a phone call from this lady,” Saenz said.
He’s amazed that the ring turned up so many years later.
“It’s unbelievable,” Saenz said. “But here it is.”
And it proves to never give up a trinket as being lost. Because you never know when or where it might turn up.
“This is really a cool story,” Mrs. Braune said. “Things like this usually don’t happen.”
It ended up being the most prized catch for her husband in many years.
And fortunately for Saenz, it was something much more important than just another catfish or crappie.
“He usually just catches lures,” she said, laughing. “I don’t think he caught any fish on that trip.”
