Couple's 51-year-old wedding ring lost after Kay Jewelers ships it for repairs

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — A Winter Garden woman who has been married more than 50 years claims a Kay Jewelers store lost her wedding ring.

Linda Blood and her husband, Skip Blood, took the ring to Kay Jewelers in Winter Garden Village for routine cleaning and repairs, but they said when the store shipped it out, and it never came back.

The ring was supposed to be back two weeks ago, but when the couple went to pick it up, they were told there was an issue with UPS, but the store would not give them the UPA tracking number.

Skip Blood said he remembers the day he got the ring to propose.

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“I was beside myself. I was very, very nervous because I didn't know what she would say,” he said.

He asked Linda Blood for her hand in marriage outside their church in Pine Hills.

“I knew he'd take care of me and I loved him,” she said.

The couple got married Oct. 7, 1966.

For nearly 52 years, they’ve taken care of each other and the ring, even adding on to it about 25 years ago.

Every six months, they have it inspected and cleaned.

In late July, they brought it to Kay Jewelers and were told some prongs needed to be replaced, but that type of service wasn’t done in the store.

Kay Jewelers shipped it out for repairs with a promise to have it returned by Aug. 14.

It made Linda Blood nervous, since the ring rarely left her hand.

When the Aug. 14 rolled around, the ring was not at the store.

Workers told them it was a UPS issue, saying the ring was shipped back on the 9th, but never made it to the store.

“UPS obviously gave them the tracking number, they have it, but they won't give it to us,” said Skip Blood.

The couple is worried they may never see the ring again.

Kay Jewelers has promised a replacement ring if the company can't find it, but sentimental value cannot be replaced.

“No ring can replace what (this one is) to me," said Linda Blood.

Kay Jewelers released a statement Monday saying it is working with the couple on a replacement and apologized for not being able to replace the sentimental value.

Even though Kay Jewelers is taking responsibility, UPS said it will investigate on its end just in case it can do anything to help find the ring.

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Cox Media Group