"It was a strike of fear going from the top of my head all the way throughout my body down to my toes. I threw my ring in the trash," Jackie Cacase said.
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She had placed her favorite ring in a napkin, but in a rush to take out the trash that morning, she tossed it out.
"Apparently, I was not thinking-not thinking clearly," Cacase said.
Then it got worse.
"I opened the door and realized the trash had been collected! I was banging on the window," Cacase said.
And with that, Cacase took off to find the truck. And when she did, she could barely speak.
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"I have tears running down my face. My hands are trembling. I cannot get my thoughts together and I'm sure my words made absolutely no sense," Cacase said.
The Sanitation Department quickly calmed her down and they drove together to the transfer station.
For 15 frantic minutes they sifted through piles of household trash.
NYC Sanitation worker Pete Mauro, who was searching with others, found it.
"She was really upset when she came in, but we were able to get it done! We found it and she was really happy," Mauro said.
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The ring was a gift from a very special person Cacase's life.
"At that point, tears were flowing out of my eyes-tears of joy. I gave Pete the biggest hug, ever. I was so grateful that he actually found my ring," Cacase said. "It means a lot to me. A man who loves me very much-who I love very much-gave it to me."
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