In a story straight out of a romantic movie, a Canadian man sifted through mountains of foul-smelling trash to recover his wife’s cherished wedding rings… and miraculously succeeded. Steve Van Ysseldyk and his wife of 26 years, Jeannine, had no idea their movie night would turn into an unforgettable adventure.
After bringing home popcorn from the cinema, a spill in their backyard garden led to a fateful mistake. Jeannine’s diamond wedding rings slipped into the popcorn bag, which was unknowingly tossed into their compost bin.
By the time they realized the jewelry was missing, the compost truck had already collected the waste. For most people, that would have been the end of the story… but not for Steve. Armed with only gloves, a shovel, and unwavering determination, Steve headed to the Mission Sanitary Landfill in British Columbia. There, he faced an almost impossible task: combing through 18 tons of organic waste.
“It was raining, which actually helped keep the smell down,” Steve explained. With the help of landfill worker Denny Webster and an excavator, Steve began searching for signs of the discarded popcorn bag. Against all odds, Steve spotted something familiar… sausages his family had recently thrown out. Not long after, the first ring appeared, followed shortly by the second. Within just an hour, both precious rings were back in his hands.
When he called Jeannine to share the news, she broke down in tears. She had been out shopping for a metal detector, bracing for a much longer search. For Jeannine, the rescue mission was more than a recovery effort… it was proof of love. “I know how much he loves me, that he was willing to crawl through a stinky compost pile for me,” she laughed.
Steve’s determination has left people across Canada and beyond amazed, with many calling the act a true testament to love, perseverance, and commitment.
