How a McMaster University class ring, lost in 1977 in the Atlantic Ocean off Barbados, made it home

McMaster University’s alumni office recently experienced a truly unique and heartwarming reunion that was sparked by a surprising discovery. Karen McQuigge, the director of alumni engagement, shared the story with CBC Hamilton, explaining how a diver in Barbados found a McMaster class ring from 1965 buried underwater near Miami Beach. The gold ring had the initials “FMP” engraved on it, and the diver, Alex Davis, reached out to the alumni office in hopes of returning it to its original owner.

McQuigge and her team sprang into action, searching their database for any alumni with the initials “FMP.” To their delight, they found a match: Morgan Perigo, a math major who graduated from the faculty of science in 1965. Perigo had kept his contact information up to date with the alumni office, which made it possible for them to reach out to him. Without this crucial step, the reunion may never have happened.

Perigo shared with the alumni office that he had lost his ring on a family trip to Barbados in 1977. While wading in the ocean, a wave knocked his son over, causing Perigo to reach out and grab him, resulting in the ring slipping off his finger. Despite searching for it, the ring was lost to the sea.

Alex Davis, the diver who found the ring, described the moment he discovered it as a “hell of a find.” Living in Barbados since 2011, Davis had started a diving company in 2013. With the recent shifting of sand caused by Hurricane Beryl, Davis took up metal detecting to uncover hidden items. On October 16, his detector led him to the buried ring, buried beneath layers of sand.

Despite decades underwater, the class ring was in surprisingly good condition. Davis wasted no time in contacting McMaster, which ultimately led to Perigo being reunited with his long-lost treasure. The ring arrived at Perigo’s home in Burlington, Ontario, just in time for his 83rd birthday, much to the joy and amazement of both parties involved.

Perigo is now proudly wearing his class ring once again, thanks to the efforts of Davis and the McMaster alumni office. The heartwarming reunion serves as a reminder of the power of connection and the importance of doing the right thing. As Davis aptly put it, “It’s just good to do the right thing.”