Hidden Hero

The sound of laughter in the background brought a smile as we spread out our blanket on the hot summer sand. Only after our beach umbrella was set up and the cooler was resting in the shade, did we finally sit back and enjoy the view. The sounds of the waves crashing, followed by children’s voices, had my eyes straying towards the shore where a blond lady paced back and forth in a four foot spot. Finding this very unusual, my eyes stayed glued to her form, wondering what had troubled her.

Finding her still pacing a few minutes later, I extracted my pen and notebook from our beach bag and settled myself further onto the blanket, facing the modest waves ahead of us. I closed my eyes briefly and enjoyed the small breeze that blew our way, though it was short lived. The Florida summer heat brought sweat droplets to my forehead and I wiped them away, determined to uncover the story before me.

Another minute had passed when a older lady came over to the pacing lady and I watched as they both waved their arms towards the clear ocean before them. What could possibly be hiding beneath those foamy waves that crashed at her feet? Then the older one started walking towards the shore where we were.

She stopped about fifteen feet away where a man I had not noticed before had appeared. I couldn’t make out his features, because he had dark sunglasses over a light blue face net that disappeared into his sun-worn hat and draped over the back of his head and shoulders, protecting him from the scorching sun. His light aqua button down, long sleeve shirt held the appearance it had been weathered from many suns. He stood tall with no slouch in his shoulders. Our first thought was he had been in the Marines because of the outline of a flag on his light grey undershirt, with the Marine symbol over his right breast, the one with the funny looking anchor.

In his hands he held a long black, perhaps carbon fiber, metal detecter wrapped around his wrist similar to a weed eater. He held a long metal scooper in his other hand, as he turned towards the semi rough ocean and waded in. We noticed he was using more of a feel and sound method with his arms, similar to a blind person, instead of sight. It all made sense when we detected the large black earphones on his ears. We watched as he silently glided through the turquoise water like a wading Ibis combing the beach line for its next prey.

Within minutes, he waded back to the shore, as groups of people, young and old, flocked to him like seagulls. As he pulled something from the scooper, joyous laughter and applause surrounded him. The blond lady appeared ecstatic and posed beside him for a picture. He stood with stature and a genuine sense of humility at the same time. When the crowed had cleared enough to give me a better view, I caught a glimpse of our hero. He had short white hair, clean cut and his mustache was trimmed down to military size. He genuinely shook his spectators hands and returned their hugs.

“He wasn’t even in the water a few seconds and he found it. And I was in there an hour,” one lady declared. “And I’m certified.” 

Curiosity ate at me, and I caught the blond lady’s attention as she passed our blanket. Without many words, she thrust out her left hand and covered her mouth with her right. She was indeed overcome with happiness. Her gold wedding ring with many diamonds glistened in the summer beach sun. Her eyes were swollen from crying.

“You can see why I had to find it,” she said, her voice slightly shaky from the event.

I nodded and she bid us goodbye as she hurried away to her beach spot. I couldn’t blame her for her abrupt departure. She had quite enough excitement for one day. I silently wondered what they must have searched for online to find this guy. Metal detectors? Find my ring guy? My eyes traveled back to our hero. Well after the blond jubilant lady had left, he completed his silent sweeps along the waters edge.

Shortly after the last of the crowed had started to disappear, I approached him for a photo and invited him to join us for a cold popsicle. He happily accepted the treat along with a cold bottle of water which he place in his shirt pocket for later. After he took a few bites of the melting ice, he told us how he came to be here today.

He was laying on his couch with his wife watching Youtube, after a wonderful home cooked dinner, when he got called into duty on Fathers Day. When we asked how people would know to find him, he said they Google ring finders and metal detectors. We weren’t too far off on our earlier guess. He took another bite of his popsicle and ignored the orange liquid dripping down his chin. 

We learned he was an ex marine and had served seventeen years. He was now seventy two and retired. His voice was calm, confident, and positive, a smile never leaving his face. He refused any reward and simply said the joy of helping others was his why he did this. As quickly as he came, he departed with a an exchange of names and handshakes.

What he did most of all was ease another persons pain and anguish, and converted it into Joy and jubilation, not only for the lady who had lost her ring but also all the spectators who sat on their beach chairs watching the heroic events unfold. Just the pain and anguish from loosing ones cell phone is enough to bring a person to their edge, let alone a twelve thousand dollar diamond wedding ring. Upon further research we found out this wasn’t his first heroic deed. Along from many shared stories across the net, he once found a hundred and twenty thousand dollar ring and shipped it back to its owner, once again refusing any reward.

This is the stuff heroes and angels are made of.

Not too keen on hanging around after finishing his mission, he silently drifted off. Blending into the subtle relaxed beach scenery. It was as if it never happened. Like this mini hero story came out of the waves and returned to it. But unlike a misty daydream, unlike a one time wave, washed upon the shore. This hero was real and he keeps coming back.