Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
DENVER — A Utah couple expressed gratitude and relief Monday after uncovering an engagement ring in the burned-out remains of their stolen trailer.
Matthew and Lindsey Fuller were moving to Wichita, Kansas, when a truck and trailer carrying all their belongings was stolen from a hotel parking lot near the Denver airport.
According to the couple, a Denver-area fire investigator located their trailer, severely burned, but found pictures in the rubble, recognized the couple and their story from the local news and reached out to them.
"Finding out it had all been burned — that was hard," Lindsey Fuller told KSL-TV on Tuesday.
While the couple hoped to recover whatever they possibly could from what was left of the trailer, the engagement ring held extra significance because it had been with them through much of their relationship.
"We call it the 'miracle ring' because that's not the first time it's been lost," Lindsey Fuller said. "We thought even if we find nothing else, this ring is so precious to us."
According to the Fullers, the ring, or at least a key component of it, had also been lost once before when the diamond fell out at a beach.
Sorting through the ashes
When they arrived at the impound lot, they weren't sure what they would uncover in the burned-out trailer.
"(It was) just ash, basically," Matthew Fuller said.
Within four minutes, however, they found the ring.
"We had been praying we would find it, and finding it within four minutes of getting there, it just felt like a miracle," Lindsey Fuller said. "There really aren't words for the relief we felt finding that."
The couple subsequently uncovered other rings, some pictures and other belongings, but the engagement ring continued to hold extra weight.
"That's now what we're going to try to keep by our side as long as we live," Matthew Fuller said. "Although we lost everything, we have the thing that really started our relationship still with us."
There were still many unanswered questions. The family said the truck, which belonged to Lindsey Fuller's father, still had not been recovered.
A GoFundMe account* was set up to help the Fullers after the theft of all of their belongings. As of Wednesday morning, it had amassed nearly $33,000 — above the $30,000 goal.
The Fullers said they were extremely grateful to the fire investigator for finding the trailer and contacting them, and also to their neighbors and complete strangers who have helped them in their moment of total loss.
They said some of their new neighbors had tried to exactly replace some of their son's toys, while others had offered the use of a car, old furniture, gift cards and cookies.
"We've just had so many people take care of us that were complete strangers to us," Lindsey Fuller said. "They heard our story and wanted to help, and we just couldn't feel more welcomed into this new place."
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
