N.S. metal detector operator dives to find Louisiana man’s submerged wedding band

Nate McLagan, a seasoned metal detectorist, has added another success to his mission of reuniting people with lost valuables. This time, he traveled to a Nova Scotia lake to retrieve a wedding ring for Jeff Daglaris, a man from Louisiana. McLagan, who has been metal detecting for two decades, set a personal goal this year to find 25 missing items for people, and word of his helpfulness is spreading.

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As soon as I give the ring back, they actually fall down on the ground. Like, so many tears and tears of joy … It’s overwhelming.

Daglaris lost his 14-karat gold wedding band while kayaking in Kejimkujik National Park. Despite attempts by him and his friends to dive for it, the murky water and lack of equipment made recovery impossible. Daglaris then turned to the internet and found McLagan, who was willing to take on the challenge. McLagan, a weapons technician in the Royal Canadian Navy, described the emotional impact of returning lost items, noting the tears of joy from recipients.

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I was a little, honestly, disappointed in myself because right before I got in the water, I was like, ‘Maybe I should take this off and put it in our dry bag.’

Armed with his metal detector and dive gear, McLagan made the journey to the remote lake. He located the ring within minutes, exactly where Daglaris had indicated. Daglaris expressed disbelief and immense gratitude, especially given the timing of McLagan's departure from the area. McLagan, who began incorporating diving into his metal detecting hobby about three years ago, treats these recovery missions primarily as volunteer work, often covering his own expenses. He occasionally accepts payment to offset costs like fuel, as Daglaris did after the successful recovery.

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He was like, ‘Oh my God.’ He can’t believe that he got his ring back and just the timing of it too, like for him to find me and then him leaving. I found it the same day. Everybody was in awe, almost.