Lost wedding ring washes ashore

HONOLULU, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- A man who lost his wedding ring off the coast of Hawaii's Oahu island less than 24 hours after his nuptials says the ring washed ashore four days later.

Carlton Helm said he had gone for an 8.5-mile paddle along Oahu's east shore Sunday morning and did not realize until he was nearly finished that he had lost the waterproof case containing his wallet, cell phone and wedding ring, KITV in Honolulu reported Wednesday.

"It was gone. The container was gone and I freaked out. I was like 'Oh my gosh,'" Helm said.

Helm said he and his new wife left for their honeymoon Nov. 16 to the Hawaiian island of Molokai expecting to never see the ring again.

"I didn't care about the cell phone, wallet. I mean they could have racked up the credit cards. I just wanted my ring," Helm said.

However, the newlyweds said they received a call four days later from Hanauma Bay Park employees saying the plastic case had washed ashore with its contents intact.

"(We were) ecstatic. We're like, 'This is an act of God,'" Helm said.