Phyllis and Jerry Grever were ending a vacation in Orlando and had been dropped off at the airport around 10 am. They were going to catch the 12:30 pm plane to Chicago and take a connecting flight back home to Philadelphia. Because they had time, they wandered through some of the airport stores including a few jewellery stores. Phyllis had gotten a new setting for her engagement ring and was looking for a wedding band that would match. No luck. Since time was passing, they headed to the security line.

“We put our carry-on bags on the X-ray belt, walked through the metal detector, and picked up all our belongings on the other side of those rubber rollers,” Phyllis says. “A tram was coming so we rushed to catch it, sitting on the rear window seat while dozens of passengers hung onto the overhead straps. A few moments later, we arrived at our destination, left the tram, and walked across the shiny tile floor onto the carpeted area and up to Gate #13. We checked in and sat down to wait for our flight.”

It was then that Phyllis’ glance fell onto her engagement ring. Where the big diamond had been, there was now nothing but a hole. “Jerry!” Phyllis cried. “My diamond is missing!” The two began to search around the area — on the floor, under the chairs — on their hands and knees. They retraced their steps to the check-in counter. Others joined the hunt, but the flight was ready to board. Phyllis couldn’t leave Orlando without her diamond. — Beliefnet.com