Josh Miller, Georgia Man, Accidentally Donates Engagement Ring To Goodwill

After finding the perfect engagement ring, Josh Miller found the perfect hiding spot -- so perfect that he accidentally gave away the jacket in which he had tucked away the piece of jewelry, WSBTV reports.

Miller, 31, made the heartbreaking discovery on Wednesday when he was preparing to propose to his girlfriend, Cara Epstein. While searching through his closet, the Georgia native realized that the uninsured ring had been sent along to Goodwill with a pile of clothes.

"I was just shaking," Miller told WSBTV. "I didn't know what to do, or what to say, or how to feel.

While the two are planning to move forward with their wedding plans, Miller -- who works as a landscaper -- says it will be challenging to scrape together the cash to make another big-ticket purchase.

“She talked about the exact ring she wanted for a long time,” Miller told the news outlet, “and we finally for once found the perfect, perfect engagement ring.”

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[InVinoVeritasBC]

11:33 AM on 04/26/2012

Perhaps he needs to have his memory checked. When I place something valuable somewhere, I obsessively check to make sure it's still there....

[alohaelvis78]

11:47 AM on 04/20/2012

I used to shop at Goodwill all of the time before they started building the "megacenters" and started charging OUTRAGEOUS prices. About 12 years ago, a friend of mine tested them by donating a couple of antique items in a bag and going back a few hours later to say that he "accidentally" donated the items and that they belonged to his mother and he wanted them back. Low and behold, the items were nowhere to be found. He never donated anything to them again. I cleaned out some stuff in storage a few years ago (nice household iems, a couple of pieces of furniture, etc.) which was a pickup truck load and took it to my local Goodwill. the man at the door said he needed a manager's approval to take the donations. After about 5 minutes a big, burly woman came out smoking, looked at the truck and refused to accept the donations. This was nice stuff, not junk. I just didn't have a place for it. I will never donate to Goodwill again.

[ninjasrolled]

04:46 AM on 04/19/2012

And the unwed, teenage Mary was a virgin. Yeah, right.

[Jessica Ann Stallings]

07:17 PM on 04/18/2012

Most Goodwill stores are run by greedy crooks. I found a decorative platter there once that matched one I already had. They were charging $40 for it--I only paid $15 for mine brand-new! Ever since I noticed that, I've chosen to give my business to local organizations instead.

Honestly though, what does Goodwill do anyways? I know the Navy uses them in the mess halls at the training base in Illinois, but that's about the extent of my knowledge. We have an organization here in Oregon that builds low-income housing, manages properties for the homeless to stay/camp, and even assists with rent and utilities. And they're not over-priced in their thrift shops like Goodwill.

[fridakahlofan]

03:43 AM on 04/19/2012

The GW has training, helps clients with jobs search, helps prepare for interviews & many other things:

http://www.goodwill.org/

That platter you wanted was probably less expensive than purchasing it in a dep't store at todays price & the money goes to pay employees & thier organization.
I don't feel that the GW are crooks.

[cceras]

09:19 AM on 04/19/2012

You should not base your post on 1 experence and then wildly speculate to determine (in your mind) that Goodwill is bad. Goodwill as stated by earlier response trains and employs disabled folks. I've worked for them and also shop there. Great buys for the most part. Your experience was no doubt an exception based on mis-priced item. Greed has nothing to do with it!

[jbjg24m]

05:39 AM on 04/18/2012

hasn't he ever heard of a safe deposit box at the bank ?

[DSkull]

07:29 PM on 04/18/2012

That makes too much sense, J. Try and live a little precariously every now and then.

[jbjg24m]

05:35 AM on 04/18/2012

if that were me i would try going to the Goodwill store and look for that suit,maybe by chance it would still be there

[clare30]

05:24 AM on 04/18/2012

I feel so sorry for this couple! It's completely impossible to get something back that you donate to Goodwill. It happened to me once years ago when I accidentally gave away my daughter's favorite teddy bear (it got mixed in with all the other ones I was trying to get
rid of!). When I realized it was gone (the same day I donated it), I called Goodwill & went in
there to look for it through piles & piles of donations. But I was never able to find it there.
I felt so bad, I was almost in tears! I can't even imagine how this poor guy felt when he realized that he accidentally gave the engagement ring away! Hopefully the person who acquires this ring will see this news story & be honest & decent enough to give it back.
He said he purchased it at Helzberg jewelry store. They're a major U.S. chain; perhaps they can do a good deed & help him out with another ring. Hopefully he'll get it back!

[625fan]

05:16 AM on 04/18/2012

Hey Huff were are my badges I am over 1000 comments. I should not be force into posting on facebook and such. I am generating plenty of comments and responses which keeps your media site active for those who care to post on those sites. I don't care to. Just a thought. I tried to get question on that site but too much of a run a round.

[Rensh Breni]

02:50 AM on 06/22/2012

Did you use their "contact us" link at the bottom of the page? Posting this here will probably get completely overlooked. :)

[625fan]

05:12 AM on 04/18/2012

Well anyone that buys a jacket with this ring in it get a hold of your news station and they will track this guy down and make sure there is a receipt. You will get your fame. Talk shows will call you to be on them and you will be known as the honest person who returned the joy of this ring back. And it will restore this guys faith into helping others without paying a price.

[Ed Forney]

09:57 AM on 05/30/2012

a Goodwill employee most likely went thru the pockets first, and is a bit richer now

[Psychpro]

05:11 AM on 04/18/2012

She picked it out, but he still had to hide it? Nah, there is another story here.

[Doug Girard]

11:06 PM on 04/18/2012

Of course there is another story to it.
Its another way to scam people into sending him pity money.
I've got your pity right here. To bad, so sad. Easy come, easy go. Stupid is as stupid does. Etcetera.

[cceras]

09:23 AM on 04/19/2012

My fiance and I shopped together and I showed him the rings I liked. He then went out and, based on those I'd looked at, chose one even more perfect (but similar). Probably something like that.

[Budd B]

05:08 AM on 04/18/2012

The dog ate my homework! HMMMM

[StarThrower50]

04:46 AM on 04/18/2012

This story just breaks my heart! What a gorgeous ring... I REALLY hope some kind soul finds and returns it. I know the article says the ring was uninsured, but one thing he (or anyone who reads this who's lost something valuable) may not have thought of is to check whatever kind of homeowner's or renter's insurance policy he has for "Mysterious Disappearance" coverage. I know I didn't specifically request it on my policy, so I wonder if it isn't something fairly standard. My State Farm homeowner's policy largely covered a group of rings I inadvertantly left behind when I stayed a hotel in downtown New Orleans the week of Hurricane Katrina. =:0 They didn't even take out the deductible because the value was greater than the coverage limit, but still, it was a LOT better than having nothing! It's certainly worth a shot to check into it.

[tstratford]

04:45 AM on 04/18/2012

Ever heard of a small safe for home?

[Mwhysguy]

04:30 AM on 04/18/2012

Thats probably where he got it in thre first place . . . .!

[arnold maurer]

04:11 AM on 04/18/2012

You mindless idiots out there should not blame the man, or the woman. Awful mistakes like this are a fact of life. Donations should be checked inside and out, before going into the washer and dryer; especially second hand merchandise. If it wasn't then someone is not doing their job. Follow the jacket from the time it entered the store. Publicize a reward for the return of the ring.
Look in the places that have been overlooked, like washers and dryers. Mke the ring "so hot" that it can't be hocked, making it of no value to who has it. The ring can be found but some effort is needed. I wish the best of luck to the engaged couple.