Montecito mudslide wedding ring round

MONTECITO, CA — Months after disappearing in the Montecito mudslide, contractors discover a missing wedding ring.

Contractor Ann Burgard was clearing and sifting through dirt and mud on Mari and Hang Mitchel’s property when she found a little frayed bag in a massive pile of mud.

General Contractor Ann Burgard said,”It was right by this pergola right here in the corner.”

The Mitchel’s survived the January 9th disaster when their home on Santo Thomas Lane was hit by a wall of mud and badly damaged.

They waited hours to be rescued, “I’m grateful to be alive, and my husband too,” said Mari Mitchel.

Mitchel had put her wedding rings, a watch, and a special pendant into the small pouch in preparation for the storm.

The bag washed away with most of her belongings.

Bergard said the bag was on ehr bind each time she carefully combed through the mud, “I know from the very beginning this was the one thing that Mari was hoping for.”

When she finally saw it, she started shaking and ran to tell Mitchel.

“We weren’t sure. The zipper was jammed, so she went and got a knife. And as she got the knife, there was a little jiggling sound, and we were kinda holding our breath. But I knew,” said Mitchel.

Mitchel and Burgard were both emotional.  “I just happened to be the eyes on it at that moment. But it was found because there’s people hanging on to glimpses of hope and all that energy working together,” said Burgard.

Mitchell calls the find a tiny miracle, with a big lesson,  “There’s a message in it that says don’t give up. Just don’t give up. Even if it’s a little thing that feels impossible, don’t give up.”