And the owner of the lost wedding ring is … a widower
“My wife died from cancer in September, so the ring was important to me,” he explained.
One evening, seated at his dinner table in Bonaero Park, 64-year-old widower Adriaan van der Zandt paged through Kempton Express while eating dinner.
As he turned the pages, no wedding ring could be seen on his finger. He had lost it a few weeks ago.
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“My wife, Jakkie (62), died from cancer in September, so the ring was important to me,” he would later explain.
On page two a headline caught his eye.
“The wedding ring found in the parking area at Meat Factory on Elgin Road is a man’s very unique ring,” the article read. Van der Zandt knew they were talking about his three-banded ring made of copper, gold and silver with three small gemstones.
He immediately called Rudolf Ninaber, the good Samaritan who found the ring.
“It was so wonderful to finally find him,” Ninaber told Express. Prior to Van der Zandt’s call, 10 other people had called him to claim the ring belonged to them.
Van der Zandt said he thought his ring, given to him by his late wife on their wedding day 43 years ago, was gone for good.
“I work with my hands so the ring was no longer round,” the technician explained. “I had it made round again and resized so I could wear it on my right hand.”
However, the ring was a little too big.
“I unpacked the freezer to see if it was there. I checked in my car, washing machine and tumble dryer, but it was nowhere.”
When he called Ninaber and confirmed the ring was his, he wanted to go fetch it immediately.
“You have to travel far to meet honest people such as Ninaber,” Van der Zandt said. “I am so grateful to him.”
Van der Zandt and his ring have since been reunited.
“I now wear it on my middle finger so I don’t lose it again,” he laughed.
