When he was in North Carolina last year, a Maryland firefighter lost a necklace commemorating his graduation from recruit school that he had been wearing for 15 years.
He thought this gift from his parents was lost forever, but nearly a year later it was discovered by a man with a metal detector.
Prince George's County Battalion Chief Donny Fletcher was vacationing in the Outer Banks in July, and he and his family drove out to a beach in Frisco on the barrier island of Hatteras Island, the firefighter wrote in a Facebook post. Before going swimming, Fletcher took off his necklace, which he had worn 24/7 since receiving more than a decade ago, so it wouldn't possibly attract sharks.
While he was in the water, a wave swept the beach and knocked the necklace out of a cup holder. A frantic hourslong search proved futile.
"I was devastated, but finally came to the realization that my cherished gift was gone," Fletcher wrote.
But earlier this month, a phone call came in at work from Ken Askey who wanted to contact Fletcher, but only referred to his ID number. Fletcher returned the call, and Askey told him that he had been using a metal detector in Nags Head and discovered the necklace.
"To my disbelief, this gentleman had found my necklace washed up on a Nags Head beach, roughly 56 miles away from where I lost it," Fletcher wrote. "He had grown up in Townson, Md and said there was only one PGFD that he could think of, which prompted him to call our offices."
Askey priority mailed the necklace back to Fletcher the next day.
"This message serves that there’s still good people in the world and to never discount the good ole fashioned prayer to St. Anthony!" the battalion chief wrote. "To Ken Askey, you’re a damn good man; thank you sir!"
