A long-lost ring finds its way home

Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease made locating the ring a challenge for his family. Despite a long search, the family came up short. Little did they know the little gold ring remained close. In December, Burlingame water employees returned the ring they originally thought was a washer in the sewer.

Burlingame employees had used a rolling camera through the sewer lines to see what, if anything, was down there and needed work. While at work, a wheel from the camera was lost. As a result, Street and Sewer Supervisor Jim Brown and maintenance workers Hans Brenner and Doug Bacchi were sent out to find it.

The wheel is expensive, Brenner explained. The guys successfully found the wheel and Brenner thought he also saw a lost washer, which was scooped up and placed in his pocket.

Once back in the office, Brenner began cleaning the washer to learn it wasn’t a washer, but more likely a ring. Luckily, the ring had an inscription.

Making out the names wasn’t as easy as the guys thought, but with a bit of work and cleaning, two names, Sybil and Manny, and a date, 7-4-46, became visible.

It took less than 30 minutes of searching records of names of homeowners in the area to find a potential match, said Brown.

A phone call to the couple, who still live in the same home, delivered unbelievable news to Sybil, who preferred her full name not be included.

Brenner took the ring home to polish it up before he and Brown took the ring to its rightful home.

"She was so happy that day,” said Bacchi.

In a letter written from their daughter Linda to the city, she wrote, "I don’t know who was happier, my mother at being reunited with this meaningful symbol of her 63-year marriage or the public employee who went far beyond the call of duty, and spent much time and energy to solve the mystery of the lost sewer ring.”

It has a lot of meaning to the family. Manny put the ring right on although it now stays in a special place. First the ring was taken to family and friends in hopes of sharing the amazing story of 10 years going unnoticed in the sewer line below.

"Stories like these restore my faith in people and show me that there are good people who are willing to help others,” Linda wrote.

For the water department employees, the chance of reuniting someone with such a symbol wasn’t going beyond the call of duty.

Bacchi thought the ring must have meaning for someone.

Brenner added he would want someone to do the same for his parents.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.