A wedding band (stock image). Photo: Getty
Amid the destruction from Hurricane Milton in Florida, a couple found something special. Laura and Basil Yorio from Palm Bay had to leave their home before the hurricane hit on Wednesday, Oct. 9, as a Category 3 storm. When they returned, Laura was surprised to find Basil’s wedding ring in their yard. He had lost it nine years earlier during a construction project.
“It was just sitting there, a little buried in the dirt,” Laura said, thinking at first it was a key ring
The jewelry Laura found sticking out of the ground turned out to be Basil’s missing wedding ring, which had “disappeared” during a construction project nine years ago. Despite years of lawn care and searching, the ring never showed up—until now.
Laura shared a photo of the silver ring with WOFL, showing how it was hidden in the grass. “We’ve been over this yard a thousand times in the last nine years,” she said. “We even have a landscaper who comes every week. Still, nothing.”
Laura believes the hurricane caused the ring to finally surface. She added, “We know a lot of people are dealing with really tough things right now, so I feel a little guilty being happy, but it was something good that came out of all this.”
How to Help the Victims of Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton hit near Siesta Key on Wednesday, causing major damage. As of Friday, at least 16 people have died, according to CNN and NBC News. Five of those deaths happened because of a tornado in St. Lucie County. In total, 19 tornadoes hit the state as the hurricane moved inland, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
About 1.5 million people in Florida still don’t have power as of Saturday, Oct. 12, according to PowerOutage.us.
Since the hurricane, hundreds of people have been rescued, including 135 from a senior living home in Tampa, 500 from an apartment building in Clearwater, and more from a Holiday Inn in Plant City.
This comes after Hurricane Helene, which struck the Big Bend region on Sept. 26, killing over 200 people.
I Took a Photo for a Family of Strangers, and a Week Later, I Got a Message from Them That Made My Blood Run Cold
I took a photo of a happy family in the park, thinking nothing of it. A week later, I received a chilling message: “IF YOU ONLY KNEW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO OUR FAMILY.” My mind spiraled, questioning what I could have possibly triggered. Another message followed, and the truth shattered me in ways I never imagined.
That day had been ordinary. The sun was warm, kids laughed, and couples strolled hand in hand. I had been walking alone, still carrying the weight of my grief over Tom. Then I noticed the family on the bench, their happiness a painful reminder of the life I lost.
The father asked me to take their picture, and I obliged. Their smiles were perfect. The mother thanked me, exchanging numbers just in case. I left, not thinking much of it, but that brief moment would soon return to haunt me.
Days later, sitting on my patio, I received the first message. Panic set in as I wondered what I had done. Did I capture something I shouldn’t have? Was I responsible for some unseen tragedy? My mind raced with questions.
Then came the second message: “You took our picture on August 8th. My wife passed away yesterday, and that is the last photo we have as a family.”
The world stopped. The woman’s face, her warm smile, her love for her children—it was all gone, just like that. The guilt hit hard. I envied her happiness, and now it was forever lost. I wept for her, for the family, for myself. But in my grief, I realized that in taking their photo, I had given them a precious final memory.
It was a bittersweet reminder that even in dark times, we can create moments of light for others. And sometimes, those small acts can mean more than we ever know.
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