In a remarkable turn of events, Julie Angelicola has had her cherished wedding ring returned to her after accidentally flushing it down the toilet on a New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) train. The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 7, while she was commuting on the North Jersey Coast Line train to her workplace.
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Angelicola’s morning took an unfortunate twist when she visited the train’s restroom. After washing her hands, she discovered that the sink had run out of water and had to use tissues to clean herself off. In the flurry of managing this, she unknowingly removed her wedding band, tossing it along with her tissues into the toilet before flushing. “I went back to my seat and quickly realised that I did not have my wedding band on, which I wear every day,” she explained in an interview.
Upon realising her ring was missing, Angelicola immediately contacted her husband, hoping he would find it at home. As she often removed her ring before going to bed, her initial assumption was that it was still near their bedside. However, her husband informed her that the ring was nowhere to be found, prompting Angelicola to comprehend the full extent of her predicament.
She promptly informed two conductors on the train about her missing ring. The conductors were sympathetic to her plight and swiftly gathered the train’s information while contacting Long Branch Station to inform them of the situation. They also advised Angelicola to visit customer service at Penn Station in New York City to file a lost and found report. “Everyone just felt so terrible for me and wanted to help,” she recalled, “but they also mentioned that finding the ring seemed like a really long shot.”
Recognising the urgency of the situation, NJ Transit staff sprang into action. David DeGennaro, the general superintendent of equipment at NJ Transit’s Meadowlands Maintenance Complex, explained, “We knew that the only way to get this ring out of there was to get it over to the shop. The quicker we do this, the better,” signalling the need for immediate action to recover the ring.
The train car was subsequently taken to the maintenance shop, where the toilet tank was removed. Pipe fitter Sharohn Dixon managed to open it up and found Angelicola’s ring resting atop the contents. “It was sitting there on top, just staring at you,” noted Eric Sanders, the service and inspection manager at the maintenance complex. The staff further emphasised the importance of getting Angelicola’s ring back to her as expediently as possible.
Just one day before a planned vacation to remote Maine, Angelicola received an unexpected call from NJ Transit customer service with the news that her ring had been found. Overcome with disbelief, she remarked, “I said something to the effect of, ‘I appreciate the courtesy call, thanks for following up,’” only to learn that they were indeed calling to inform her about the recovery of her ring.
She made her way to Penn Station to collect her ring, which had undergone a thorough disinfection process. There, she had an opportunity to meet some of the dedicated NJ Transit employees who had played a role in the successful recovery of her heirloom. “I didn’t know how they did it until I met them,” Angelicola shared, “I was floored they did all that. I appreciate it so much.”
During her trip to collect the ring, she serendipitously encountered one of the two conductors who had originally assisted her. Upon hearing the good news, he expressed excitement and mentioned how passengers on the train had been inquiring about her ring’s outcome. “I told him, ‘Believe it or not, I’m going to pick it up!’” Angelicola said. “He called to his coworkers, and they were so excited.”
The incident highlights not only the kindness and dedication of NJ Transit employees but also serves as a reminder of the importance of immediate action in the face of unexpected challenges. For Angelicola, what began as a harrowing day culminated in a joyful reunion with a treasured piece of her life, reinforcing the sense of community among commuters and transit workers alike.