Florida couple finds missing wedding ring after Hurricane Milton

A couple in Florida made a heartwarming discovery after Hurricane Milton: a wedding ring that had been missing for nearly 10 years. Laura and Basil Yorio had to evacuate their home as the Category 3 storm made landfall with winds of 193 km/h on the evening of October 9. When they returned the next day, Laura noticed something sparkling in their backyard.

"I looked down and saw a silver ring, thinking it was a keychain," she told Fox 35 Orlando. She then realized it was the ring her husband had lost about 10 years ago.

Laura said, "We had done some construction about 9 years ago, and it just vanished." The couple had searched their yard several times over the years and even hired a weekly gardener to mow the lawn.

They believe the heavy rains from Hurricane Milton unearthed the long-lost ring.

"I'm extremely aware that many people are going through terrible things, and I almost feel a bit guilty for being happy about this, but it was a good thing," she said.

Hurricane Milton struck on October 9 near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, causing dozens of tornadoes, 8.5-meter waves, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and destructive storm surges. At least 17 people lost their lives as a result of the hurricane, and as of Saturday morning, over 1.6 million homes across Florida were without electricity.

Meanwhile, a phosphate mining operator warned that the storm caused sewage overflows that released thousands of gallons of pollution into Tampa Bay.

Officials and residents are working to assess the extent of the storm damage, with the hardest-hit areas in the west-central region. Governor Ron DeSantis reported that over 50,000 line workers had been deployed to restore power.