# The Happy Pod: Lost my ring, found some friends - Show: Global News Podcast - Published: 2026-10-24 - Canonical: https://podc.club/en/episode/135067274_b17703a885d3.html - Audio: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss-low/proto/http/vpid/p0pj9f1x.mp3 - Source: Edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. Not an official summary. Three Italian strangers spent nine days searching a Tuscan river for an Irishman's lost wedding ring — and then travelled to Ireland to return it in person, forging an unlikely cross-border friendship. The episode also features Ann-Marie Harper, a 71-year-old Scottish woman who became the oldest contestant in Miss Great Britain history and won the Impact Over Image award, and ABC reporter Will Murray, who leapt into Brisbane floodwaters during a live assignment to rescue a sinking driver. ## What this episode answers ### How did Patrick Moore lose his wedding ring, and how did he get it back? While playing in a Tuscan river with his daughters, cold water shrank Patrick's finger and the ring slipped off as his daughter grabbed his hand; three local Italians then spent nine days searching with kayaks and ropes, found the ring in a fast-flowing stretch, and notified him with a photo message. ### Why did the three Italians who found the ring travel all the way to Ireland to return it? After parting with the Moore family, the three spontaneously resumed the search on their own initiative; once they found the ring, they felt a strong desire to deliver it in person and made the journey to Ireland to hand it over. ### What result did 71-year-old Ann-Marie Harper achieve at Miss Great Britain? She did not win the crown but received the Impact Over Image award, setting a record as the oldest-ever entrant in the competition's history and successfully spreading her message that 'if I can do it at 71, anyone can.' ### In what circumstances did ABC reporter Will Murray rescue the man? On a flood-submerged road in the Moreton Bay district north of Brisbane, a four-wheel drive plunged into the water, began to float downstream, and started sinking; Murray shouted to his cameraman to drop the camera and help, jumped in himself wearing heavy boots, and rescued the driver with the help of a bystander who happened to be present. ### How has the friendship between Patrick and the three Italians continued since their time together? They have continued to share everyday moments in a group message, and Patrick is confident they will meet again — whether in Italy or at each other's weddings. ## Article ## When the Ring Slipped into the River Irishman Patrick Moore was splashing in a Tuscan river with his daughters when cold water caused his finger to shrink just enough for his wedding ring to slide off as one of his daughters grabbed his hand. The riverbed was carpeted with moss and weeds, visibility was almost zero, and Patrick gave up on the spot. His wife Joan tried to borrow goggles from three local Italian men who happened to be nearby, but they had none. They lightened the mood with a quip — the ring was, they said, like the last golden ring at the end of *The Lord of the Rings* — a joke that landed badly on the already dejected Patrick. Joan, however, quietly exchanged contact details with the three men before everyone went their separate ways. ## Nine Days of Searching and a Miraculous Text Once apart, the three Italians did far more than anyone could have expected. They returned to the river on multiple occasions: paddling by kayak on one trip, tying ropes to rocks and diving into the current on another. Eventually, in a stretch of fast-moving water, they caught a flash of reflected light as a clump of weeds swayed — and there was the ring. Nine days after losing it, Patrick received a message from an unknown Italian number while the family had already moved south to another part of Tuscany. It contained a photo and a single caption: "Hey Sméagol, look at this." The whole family erupted in celebration. ## A Journey to Ireland and a Friendship Born The three Italians offered to bring the ring to Ireland themselves. Patrick's first instinct was that he should simply fly to Italy to collect it, but a video call with the three men changed his mind. They hiked the Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin together, swam in open rivers, and shared saunas, pints of Guinness, and meals with Patrick's family. The Italians then hired a campervan and toured the country on what Patrick called a "mystery tour" — each evening he sent the itinerary for the following day. As a thank-you, Patrick commissioned a silver bracelet for each of the three men, engraved with their real names alongside the Hobbit names the group had playfully adopted. All four remain in a group message to this day, sharing the ordinary moments of their daily lives. ## Glamour Gran Ann, 71, Takes on Miss Great Britain Ann-Marie Harper (アン＝マリー・ハーパー), 71, from Scotland, entered a local beauty pageant in Ayrshire before going on to compete in Miss Great Britain, making her the oldest contestant in the competition's history. A long-time beauty-industry professional who also ice-skates, skis, and appears on stage as a motivational speaker, she did not take the top prize but was awarded the Impact Over Image award. "If I can do it at 71, anyone can — even just getting out of bed is challenge enough," she said, sending the message that no challenge is too small to count. ## ABC Reporter Rescues Man During Flood Coverage ABC reporter Will Murray was covering flooding in the Moreton Bay district north of Brisbane when a four-wheel drive sped onto a park road that was submerged all the way to the tops of the road signs. The vehicle quickly began to float, was swept sideways, and started to sink. Murray shouted to his cameraman to put the camera down and help, then jumped into the water himself — still wearing his heavy RM Williams boots. With the help of another man who happened to be on the scene, he pulled the driver to safety. ## Takeaways - The goodwill of three Italian strangers snowballed into something extraordinary: nine days of self-motivated searching, a ring recovered from a fast-flowing river, and a personal delivery to Ireland that turned into a lasting cross-border friendship. - At 71, Ann-Marie Harper became the oldest-ever Miss Great Britain contestant, won the Impact Over Image award, and demonstrated that age is no barrier to stepping up to any challenge, however large or small. - ABC reporter Will Murray set aside his camera — and the journalist's convention of non-involvement — to jump into Brisbane floodwaters and save a drowning man, putting human life above everything else.