Jeweler, police officer help 89-year-old widowed veteran recreate lost wedding ring

IRVINE, Calif. -- A jeweler in Southern California came to the rescue of an Army veteran who lost his wedding ring.

David W. Eaton was married to his wife Babette for years until a series of health battles and dementia claimed her life 13 years ago.

His wedding ring had never come off in the last decade until late last year when he dropped weight during cancer treatment, and his hands shrunk.

The ring slipped right off and was never seen again.

Eaton called Irvine police, who tracked down the original jeweler and got the mold to re-create the custom keepsake.

"I could tell how important it was to him, and I could tell that he really missed it," the police officer said.

"I said, 'Sure, why not? It will be my pleasure.' So he got me the mold," the jeweler said.

"It looks like the same ring," Eaton said. "I had very little to say. I was totally speechless that he had my ring."

Eighty-nine-year-old Eaton says it's rare to find people as kind as the ones who came together to create a replica of his ring.