New Jersey Christmas tree farmer returns man's wedding ring lost 15 years ago

WHITE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) -- A Christmas tree farmer has found and returned a wedding ring that slipped off a New Jersey man's finger.

"I would say it was a minimum of 15 to 18 years ago," said David Penner.

He was at Wyckoff's Tree Farm in White Township, looking for a Christmas tree for his family.

"And we found one," he said. In the process of cutting down that tree, Penner's wedding ring fell off.

"We went back the next day and we did try to search for it. but with the myriad of trees that were here, trying to find exactly where you were...we couldn't find it," said Penner.

It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. And if you asked him, Penner didn't think he'd see it again.

"No, not after all this time, I mean it was almost like it would have to be a miracle for that to happen," he said.

And in this case, a miracle did happen. John Wyckoff, a third generation tree farmer, was with his crew in the middle of planting a tree when he saw something.

"I yelled for the worker who works for me to stop the tractor and I reached down and saw in the soil a man's wedding ring," said Wyckoff.

He noticed a distinctive pattern on the outside and an inscription within: "To David. Love, Nancy", and the date of the marriage.

Wyckoff was hoping to find a large enough platform to get the word out and he got his wish.

NJ.com posted the story with the video, and someone in Penner's family saw it.

"My sister in law gave me a phone call, and she said, 'David, didn't you lose your wedding band?', he said.

Penner says the timing couldn't be better, and not just because Christmas is almost here.

"I lost my wife in September, so part of that whole experience is back on my finger," he said.

All 42 years of their love and their life together.