Paul Benson recovered his 1964 St. Raphael Academy class ring 47 years after his brother lost it on a Washington beach, following a metal detector recovery in November 2025 and a cross-country return in Rhode Island, KPTV reported.
Thrun Delivers Lost Gold Ring to Benson
- Lucas Thrun discovered the 10-karat gold ring buried in Puget Sound sand during a low-tide metal detector search in November 2025.
- School alumni records and engraved initials identified the owner, prompting Thrun to travel nearly 3,000 miles to deliver the item in person.
- Eric Benson, who originally borrowed and lost the ring during a 1979 West Coast trip, traveled from his current home in Israel to witness the handoff.
A Summer Loan in Puget Sound
The ring’s decades-long absence began when Eric Benson borrowed the jewelry from his brother for a 1979 trip to the West Coast. During a gathering with friends near Seattle, Eric placed the item on a coastal rock.
“I just took the ring off, put it down on the rock,” Eric Benson said, recalling how the incoming tide swept the jewelry away before he could retrieve it. He added that he anticipated severe consequences from his sibling at the time.
According to hoodline.com, the exact recovery location remains unspecified, leaving open the question of whether specific Washington State Parks detector regulations applied to the site where Thrun made the discovery.
Tracking Down PEB
Armed with a metal detector and years of experience on Seattle beaches, Thrun recovered the ring when unusual conditions exposed parts of the shoreline. “This is the stuff that people in my hobby dream about,” Thrun said.
The band featured the engraved initials PEB alongside the 1964 graduation marker. When initial inquiries with the school failed to yield contact details, Thrun and others utilized friends to locate Paul Benson’s address.
| Timeline Event | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Original Graduation | 1964 | Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
| Ring Lost in Transit | 1979 | Puget Sound, Washington |
| Metal Detector Discovery | 2025 | Seattle, Washington |
| In-Person Return | 2026 | Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
Closing a Four-Decade Detour
Thrun opted against mailing the jewelry, instead flying to Rhode Island to complete the handoff at Paul Benson’s door while the owner was napping. The sudden delivery bridged a 47-year gap and restored a tangible connection to family history.
“The ring means a lot to me because it brings back great memories of my mother,” Paul Benson said upon receiving the item. He noted that the encounter restored his broader perspective on human character, stating that the finder brought the scattered pieces of the story together.
A St. Raphael Academy class ring lost nearly five decades ago in Washington’s Puget Sound has found its way back to its owner in Pawtucket.https://t.co/TYKJMFyCCw
Eric Benson acknowledged that while the decades had brought forgiveness, the lost item remained a permanent fixture of family lore. “Little did I know it would be a 47-year history,” Eric Benson said. “He forgave me. But trust me, he never forgot.”
Paul Benson said the experience renewed his faith in people. “Yes,” he answered when asked whether the experience showed that there are still good people in the world. “It’s about life in general and how pieces fall into place, and Lucas kind of brought that all together for me,” Benson said.
Eric Benson also said, “Next time I take the ring, I’m gonna ask him.”
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