Patrick Mohr, a 44-year-old investment fund executive, recovered his lost wedding ring after it slipped off while swimming with his wife and three daughters on holiday in Bagni di Lucca, Italy. The incident occurred near Lucca, where the river’s depth and swift current initially made the prospect of retrieving the 18-carat gold ring seem impossible.

Nine days after losing the ring, Mohr received a surprising message from an unknown Italian number containing a photo of what appeared to be his missing ring. The message came from three local men—Nicola Malloggi, Edoardo Poggi, and Filippo Palagi—who had witnessed the ring’s loss. The trio had taken Mohr’s contact details and returned to the riverbed. They anchored themselves to rocks with ropes and spent about four hours diving in an effort to locate the ring.

According to Poggi, who works at a dealership specializing in restored Fiat 500 cars in Lucca, Malloggi spotted a glint of light reflecting off the riverbed. Without hesitation, Malloggi reached for the shining object and surfaced holding the ring, later sending a photo to Mohr as confirmation. Mohr, who was at his home in Dun Laoghaire, a suburb of south Dublin, was astonished by the news, and his wife, Joanne McHugh, expressed great excitement upon seeing the photo.

Mohr’s wife had initially approached the three men, who were nearby cooling off at the time of the loss, asking them to watch for the ring. Mohr admitted that he had been reluctant to exchange numbers and had nearly lost hope of its recovery.

In a nod to J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings," the Italian men adopted hobbit nicknames—Frodo, Sam, and Merry—while referring to Mohr as Gandalf. The group documented their search and reunion on social media. Mohr later invited the men to his home in Dublin, where he hosted a meal including traditional Irish stew and local cheeses.

In addition to hospitality, Mohr arranged a four-day tour in western Ireland for his new friends, featuring activities such as lake and river swimming and hiking. Before their departure, Mohr presented each visitor with a silver bracelet engraved with both their real names and their Tolkien-inspired alter egos, crafted by a jeweller in Derry.

While Mohr estimated the ring’s monetary value at around €2,000, he emphasized its sentimental importance. He expressed optimism that the connection forged through this experience would endure, describing the relationship as one of lasting friendship.