An Israeli woman was elated Sunday after municipal garbage workers were able to retrieve a precious diamond ring she mistakenly threw away.
The ring was a gift to the resident of Rosh HaAyin in central Israel from her 100-year-old grandmother on the occasion of her 40th birthday. It is a diamond-studded jewel valued much more than its monetary value.
After separating her domestic trash and delivering it to the recycle bins, the woman realized her ring had gone missing. She alerted her husband, who immediately called the municipality to enlist their help.
The operator on call dispatched deputy head of the sanitation department, who was only too happy to assist.
"The resident of our town threw away her paper waist to a recycle bin containing nearly a quarter of a ton," Yoav Taidi said. "When I arrived on the scene, I saw a woman trembling in despair. I understood her pain and summoned my staff to search the bin, separating each paper by hand until we located her trash and found the missing ring," he said.
The overjoyed resident said she had lost all hope of retrieving her family heirloom.
"They went above and beyond and that cannot be taken for granted," she said. "It was very moving because the rink is so precious to me, and I am happy to see it back on my hand."