CINCINNATI --
Cincinnati firefighters came to the rescue of a frantic future bride after she lost her engagement ring in a pile of snow and ice.
UC student DeeDee Waddell was walking with friends when her diamond engagement ring literally slipped through her fingers, NewsChannel5 partner WCPO-TV.
"We had just gotten engaged over Christmas and we hadn't had it fitted yet. It was a little loose but I didn't think it was loose enough to fall off," said Waddell.
The ring fell near a parking meter.
However, the ring wasn't on the dry sidewalk. On that day, there were 6 to 8 inches of snow and ice.
"I knew immediately when it fell off so it had to be where I was standing and it was frustrating because I couldn't find it," said Waddell.
"Everything looked like it could be a ring. It all started to clump together and then the freezing rain because all the snow was turning into big clumps so the ring could have been anywhere in there," said Ben Bloemer, Waddell's Fiance.
As they looked for hours, Cincinnati firefighters couldn't help but notice.
"We were coming back from a run and I just happened to look over and saw them standing there with a metal detector and I realized they had been out there for a few hours still searching," said Rick Doppes with the Cincinnati Fire Department.
So Lt. Dave Roberto came up with the idea to use buckets and shovels to dig up at least three feet of snow from all around the area of where DeeDee was standing, and walk the buckets around the corner to the firehouse.
"We had piles of snow on the apparatus floor and we were just all sifting through it and there were about five or six of us going through it, running water over it. We had different baskets trying to sift through it," said Roberto. "As he moved the hose to a different area, I noticed the shiny ring sitting there plain as day."
"We were still out here looking for it and they came down here and gave it back. It was amazing. I was in shock," said Waddell. "Without them we wouldn't have found it, it would still be lost."
"I have insurance on everything but the sentimental value was important to both of us. That's the ring I gave her and I'm glad they found it," said Bloemer.
For the firefighters, they were just glad to help.
"We save lives and property and it was valuable property and it's all in the day's work I guess," said Roberto.
Firefighters Jim Haverland, Jeff Yount, Brian Kennedy, Steve Kathman, Ted Schaeffer, Ron Lindsey and John Raincey also participated in the search efforts.
After spending some time with the firefighters at Engine 19, DeeDee and her fiance, Ben, could tell how much they enjoy a good meal. So, they returned a few days later with steaks to say thanks once again.
