Winter Texan: 'Mark the Ring King' finds and returns San Antonio couples lost wedding rings
Nov 22, 2024
When Steve and Tiffany Aijian took a romantic beach getaway weekend to Port Aransas, the last thing they thought they'd experience was getting their marriage put to the test. Out of nowhere, a big wave just came and snatched all three of our rings," Steve Aijian said.The couple was enjoying a beach day in Port Aransas on Sat. Nov. 16 and they had taken off their wedding rings at their beach setup area. A giant wave took the three rings. The Aijians were able to catch Steve's wedding ring before it was too late, but Tiffany's engagement ring and wedding band were nowhere to be found. Well that was pretty much the end of our vacation. We started a search right at that moment and we spent hours," Steve Aijian said. After two days of unlucky searching on the beach, the Aijians returned home to San Antonio, sad and ringless."It was a long car ride. The reality started to hit in because only him and I knew what happened. It started to really hit me that I was going home without my rings." Tiffany Aijian said.But during that car ride home, Tiffany started doing research and she came across 'Mark the Ring King,' a Winter Texan from Minnesota who is known in Port Aransas for using his metal detecting hobby for helping people find lost jewelry and valuables on the beach. He called at about 3 oclock in the afternoon. We were in Corpus. I said, "Well go home, put our groceries away, and I'll go out there," Mark Gibson said.Mark hitched a ride from a stranger in a pickup truck to get all the way out to the location on the beach where Steve and Tiffany said the rings were lost.I knew about from the picture about where that surf had caught them rings and I thought theyre either gonna throw em up close to the dunes. I bet ya it wasnt more than like a half hour, from start to finish," Gibson said.Three days after the rings were lost, Mark the Ring King used his tools and found them both, right near each other.I told Mark he saved our marriage. But, nah, this really just strengthens us. Weve gone through a stressful moment, now it brought us closer together," Steve Aijian said.Mark the Ring King said he loves seeing the smiles and tears on peoples faces when they reunite with something that is sentimental to them.He mentioned right off the bat Im not gonna charge. He doesnt charge. He just wants to have a happy ending. It just gives us a really nice comfort to know theres still good people in the world. Mark has a really good heart," Steve and Tiffany Aijian said.Mark is not new to finding rings on the beach. He's been coming down to Port Aransas every winter from his home of Minnesota to practice his hobby of metal detecting. He even has a collection going.Hit number 600, eight days ago. And I've found probably five more since then," Gibson said.Mark the Ring King and Tiffany Aijien united in person in Corpus Christi on Tuesday for Mark to give her the engagement ring and wedding band back."It felt really good, to see them in person, that they're actually there and that he found them. It felt really good," Tiffany Aijian said.Mark the Ring King said he's found a lot of people's lost valuables on the beach, but Steve and Tiffany's story may just be his new favorite.Im not in it for the money. Its all about the return and all of the emotions that go with it," Gibson said. "They're just so thankful. Emotions are just so high for them and for me. Having the skill and the knowledge to use my equipment to do that, it's just great."For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.