A woman visits a small seaside town during Christmas. While browsing in the boutiques, she loses a family heirloom. Then an entire town comes to together to help her find it, ensuring a happy ending.
While that sounds like the plot of a Hallmark movie, it’s exactly what happened to Wilmington resident Nancy O’Neill.
On Dec. 22, 2023, O’Neill was Christmas shopping in Southport when she noticed a piece of her wedding ring had broken free from its setting. Ironically, she was contemplating purchases in Renee’s Fine Jewelry when she made the discovery.
The 83-year-old ring was a family heirloom composed of three pieces: her grandmother’s wedding ring and her mother’s two-piece wedding set. O’Neill’s mother and grandmother were from Brussels, Belgium, and the rings were crafted in Antwerp and have incredible sentimental value.
“My parents were married for 73 years,” O’Neill explained. “They passed away four years ago, just 28 days apart.”
O’Neill immediately traced her steps through town, and shop owners jumped into action, crawling around on the floors looking for the missing diamonds. The search turned up nothing.