Latest news with #AprilSchmitt
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Airport Workers' Astonishing Find: A 34-Year-Old Engagement Ring Diamond in the Most Unlikely Place
While retrieving her luggage from baggage claim at Pittsburgh International Airport, the diamond from April Schmitt's engagement ring slipped out of its setting. Schmitt spent 90 minutes looking for the jewel but wasn't able to locate it. Airport maintenance workers continued the search for another four hours, eventually retrieving the may be one of your biggest fears: losing your engagement ring. After first receiving this sentimental sparkler from your partner, you may find yourself anxiously checking to ensure that it's still on your left hand. And to ensure it stays in tact, you may opt to purchase ring insurance, remove the accessory when you're doing strenuous activities, or meet with an expert to ensure it's sized correctly. However, for April Schmitt, this ever-present anxiety became an unfortunate reality when her 1.25-carat diamond suddenly became loose—and slipped out of its setting. After spending time in Los Angeles, Schmitt planned to return to her home of Pittsburgh on Thursday, June 12. However, a series of delays pushed her travel plans to the following day: Friday, June 13. Unfortunately, in a nod to the date's unlucky reputation, her bad fortune continued—even after arriving in Pittsburgh. "As I went to retrieve my bag from the carousel, my hand got stuck between the suitcase and the edge of the carousel," she told CBS News. "It pinched my hand, so I pulled my hand back really quickly," she said. However, once she returned home, she knew something on her hand didn't feel right. "I looked down and my ring was without a diamond," she told CBS News. Rather than the center stone, all she saw were four empty prongs. "It was devastating. I mean, I literally felt sick to my stomach as soon as I realized," she added. She immediately returned to the airport to start searching for the jewel: "I came in and I immediately started looking all around here, on the floor," Schmitt said. Luckily, four airport employees from the maintenance department joined her in her quest. However, after 90 minutes of searching—and even opening up some of the panels on the baggage carousel—the group had yet to find the missing diamond. Schmitt eventually returned home without her diamond. However, even though she may have give up, the airport employees didn't. The workers continued to search for the diamond for the next four hours, and, eventually, they discovered it. "Two paint sticks taped together, scraping dirt from underneath the carousel, that's how they actually found it," said Tom Riordan, a stationary engineer. "Literally, my jaw dropped. I was ecstatic. I just couldn't get to the airport quickly enough," Schmitt said. Not only was the sparkler significant to Schmitt, who received it from her husband 34 years ago, but the superstitious date was as well: Her husband proposed to her on Friday, March 13—and the two tied the knot on Friday, November 13, 1992. Up Next: A Stranger Helped a Woman Track Down Her Missing Wedding Ring from a Facebook Post Read the original article on Brides
CBS News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Pittsburgh airport workers recover missing diamond from traveler's engagement ring
Friday the 13th lived up to its reputation for one woman passing through Pittsburgh International Airport. She lost the diamond from her engagement ring, but she wasn't unlucky for long. After a stressful 17 days of work around downtown Los Angeles, April Schmitt was making the flight on June 12 to come back home to Pittsburgh. Schmitt had to deal with a series of flight delays, missed connections and an overnight stay in an airport hotel, but she finally made it back to Pittsburgh on Friday, June 13. Woman loses diamond in baggage carousel However, that was just the start of some bad luck. While standing at carousel B, Schmitt reached for her suitcase, but her hand got stuck. "As I went to retrieve my bag from the carousel, my hand got stuck between the suitcase and the edge of the carousel. It pinched my hand, so I pulled my hand back really quickly," she said. In a state of shock, she walked away with her suitcase, but about 30 minutes later, when she was almost home, her ring finger felt different. "I looked down and my ring was without a diamond," she said. There were four empty prongs where the center diamond of her engagement ring should be. "It was devastating. I mean, I literally felt sick to my stomach as soon as I realized," she said. She drove back to the airport and began looking. "I came in and I immediately started looking all around here, on the floor," Schmitt said. Airport workers join the search Shortly after, four airport authority employees from the maintenance department joined in the search. Stationary engineer Tom Riordan said the baggage carousel is "a labyrinth of steel." Pittsburgh International Airport workers spent hours trying to find a diamond that had come loose from a woman's engagement ring. (Photo: KDKA) They all spent 90 minutes searching and crawling everywhere, even on the baggage carousel. They even pulled up some panels to look inside. "Yeah, typical day," said electrician Steve Turkaly with a laugh. Despite their best efforts, Schmitt left for home again, still heartbroken. Multiple flights arrived that day, and there were lots of suitcases for those passengers, but the airport employees didn't give up. Four hours later, Schmitt got the call, telling her they found the one-and-a-quarter carat diamond. "Two paint sticks taped together, scraping dirt from underneath the carousel, that's how they actually found it," Riordan said. "Literally, my jaw dropped. I was ecstatic. I just couldn't get to the airport quickly enough," said Schmitt. "It really felt good, I mean to see the expression on her face n'at, it made it all worth it," Turkaly said. "It restored my faith in humanity." It's a diamond with 34 years of meaning to Schmitt. Her husband proposed to her with it on Friday, March 13, and they got married on Friday, Nov. 13, 1992. Now, after Friday, June 13, 2025, she's counting the unluckiest day as her luckiest of all. "It restored my faith in humanity, honestly," she said. "These men didn't know me at all. They knew nothing about how long I've been married. They knew nothing about my husband or the stone or the sentimental value or the economic value, but that didn't matter; they were just committed to doing the right thing," she added. If you also lose something at Pittsburgh International Airport, call customer service, which catalogs what's lost and found, at 412-472-3525.
