Ring Lost In Public Garden Lagoon Found Months Later

BOSTON (CBS) - A young boy from Weymouth lost his family ring last summer in the swan boat lagoon in the Boston Public Garden. On Monday, relatives found the ring, thanks to the mild weather we're all enjoying and some old fashioned good luck.

Kathy and Bill Cunningham were enjoying a holiday walk in the Public Garden, basking in the 40+ degree February weather. "As we approached the swan boat area, I remembered that my nephew had lost his ring, and it occurred to us that perhaps we might be able to find it," Kathy said.

Her nephew is 11-year-old Patrick Burke who was waiting in the swan boat line last summer when he dropped the ring. "Bill decided to get down into the area and start kicking around rocks," Kathy said.

That's something he could do because this mild winter means the pond is empty, and they knew where Patrick was when he dropped the ring. "Once I kicked one rock over, something shiny caught my eye," Bill said.

It was the lost Claddagh ring that's been in the family for more than 30 years. Patrick's mother passed it down to him last year. "We were both incredulous when he found the ring," Kathy said.

Now the traditional Irish ring that represents love, loyalty and friendship is back where it belongs. "I'm really happy that I have it back again. It means a lot to me because it was my mom's and my mom's sister's," Patrick said.

Bill Cunningham says he's feeling pretty lucky after finding the ring, and yes, he's planning to buy a lottery ticket.