Long-Lost College Ring Recovered After 56 Years

After more than five decades, a former Fordham University student was reunited with his cherished college ring, thanks to an eagle-eyed metal detectorist and a beach cleanup.

In May 1969, Al DiStefano, then 21, lost his gold ring with a garnet stone and his name inscribed, while visiting Cedar Beach on Long Island. Despite searching, he believed it was gone forever into the Sound.

Recently, while scanning the beach with a metal detector, 56-year-old Dave Orlowski struck gold. After several attempts, he uncovered a unique ring in nearly waist-deep water. The size and condition of the ring surprised him, especially because it bore the Fordham crest and inscribed name “Alfred R. DiStefano.”

The ring, crafted from white gold palladium weighing 1.3 ounces, was initially valued at around $2,000 in scrap metal. Orlowski’s wife suggested returning it, believing it was the right thing to do given the inscription.

Orlowski found the owner through the Fordham alumni Facebook group, connecting with DiStefano, now living in Arlington, Texas. The reunion delighted both parties, with DiStefano expressing amazement at the ring’s condition and the coincidence of its discovery so close to where he lost it.

He revealed he paid $110 for the ring in 1969 and thought about it often, especially since he couldn’t afford a replacement at the time. DiStefano, a retired oncologist, thankful for Orlowski’s honesty, plans to reward him with gifts from Texas. He promptly received the ring, still in excellent shape, and now wears it again to cherish the connection to his past.