Milwaukee lost engagement ring search, couple hopes community can help

MILWAUKEE - When a man proposed to his girlfriend in Milwaukee this week, the couple was met with a surprise bigger than the big question: The ring was gone.

Missing ring

When Kailyn Kenny's fiancé, Dave Vanveen, prepared to pop the question on Sunday – he had to question himself.

"Just a moment of shock when he looks down at the box and says, ‘Well, it’s not supposed to be empty,’" Kenny said.

Kailyn Kenny's missing engagement ring

The couple's ring, which they had custom-made, was missing – and still is. Kenny said Vanveen made several stops around Bay View before he popped the question.

"Many different places it could have been," she said. "We've just been looking everywhere."

‘Lost ring detective’

In their search to find the ring, Kenny and Vanveen have found some unexpected help.

"People sometimes will lose a ring and they’ll think, oh, it’s gone forever," said Paul Humphreys. 

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Humphreys – a "lost ring detective" – has spent the week looking for the ring, something he has successfully done for hundreds of people.

"It would be my absolute joy to find that ring and return it to them," he said.

Paul Humphreys searches for Kailyn Kenny's missing engagement ring

Humphreys does not seek anything in return. For him, the real prize is making people happy: "It's the smiles, it’s the tears, that really make it worthwhile."

It's Humphreys' kindness that reminds Kenny and Vanveen that, while the ring might still be lost, hope is not.

"The silver lining has been folks being so generous," she said.

How you can help

Kenny and Vanveen are asking people to be on the lookout for the ring. They even set up an email for people to contact them if they happen to spot it: kailynanddave@gmail.com.