Engagement ring drama: South Carolina beachgoer uses metal detector after man loses precious possession

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A man in South Carolina experienced a scare when he briefly lost the engagement ring he’d been carrying with him for the beach proposal he planned at the start of the month.

The man, whose name has yet to be disclosed, arranged a couple’s photo shoot in Myrtle Beach, which was supposed to end with a surprise marriage proposal on Saturday, July 1, according to a Facebook post shared by the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

The man is originally from Tennessee but had traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the proposal, the police department wrote in its post.

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The man, shortly after realizing the engagement ring was lost, flagged down John Lively, a patrolman first class with the Myrtle Beach Police Department's Beach Patrol team. That's according to the Facebook post that was shared on Wednesday, July 5.

"The gentleman explained that they had been taking photos in different places along the beach and had gotten to the last location and realized the ring had fallen out of his pocket," the police department wrote.

Lively teamed up with patrol officers Sean Owens and Zachary Stashick, and the trio reportedly canvased the spots the couple had their photos taken. 

The officers also recruited patrolman Shon McCluskey and K9 Goggles to assist with the search for the ring — but there was no luck.

As the group scanned the sandy beach, a "local community member" reportedly joined the search and used a metal detector.  

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"Shortly after joining the search, the ring was found by the metal detector," the Myrtle Beach Police Department wrote.

"We wish the engaged couple a happy future!"

"The ring was quickly returned to the gentleman for him to continue his proposal! For those of you wondering, she said yes," the department continued. 

"The Myrtle Beach community pulls together any time, anywhere, for anyone! We wish the engaged couple a happy future!"

An unnamed man from Tennessee (not pictured) lost the engagement ring he brought to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which he planned to use for a surprise proposal, according to a local police department. (iStock)

The Facebook post has received over 1,600 reactions and hundreds of shares and comments from people who have viewed the story.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Myrtle Beach Department for comment.

Commenters congratulated the couple on their engagement and shared their thoughts on the unique proposal story.

"This is such a wonderful story with a happy ending," one Facebook user wrote.

A local resident (not pictured) helped the Myrtle Beach Police Department find the lost engagement ring with a metal detector after a man lost it during a couple's photo shoot. (iStock)

"Amazing story to be retold for the rest of their lives," another user remarked. "[Great] job to all the kind folks that helped."

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"OMG, so beautiful. This is a good sign for them both," another user wrote.

Beaches have become a popular destination for surprise proposals and engagements, but wedding experts are warning couples that they should proceed with caution before they travel with engagement rings.

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An engagement ring safety article published by Brides, a popular wedding planning magazine, recommends couples insure engagement rings before traveling and consider the destination they’ll be going to before they wear or carry these pieces of jewelry.

Engagement rings can be lost or damaged when worn or taken to a beach, especially if the outing requires a lot of activity, said the publication. 

Wedding experts say couples should exercise caution when traveling with engagement rings. (iStock)

Oceans and pools should also be avoided when traveling with an engagement ring, according to the magazine. 

"Never wear your ring in the ocean. The cold water will cause your fingers to shrink, which in turn makes it easy for your ring to slip off your finger and sink to the bottom of the ocean," the magazine explained. 

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"Even if you're in shallow water, your ring will likely be lost forever as it gets swept up in the current and sand."

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The same can happen in a pool, and chlorine water could be damaging to jewelry metals like platinum and gold, the magazine said.