By Christopher Johnson
This week’s human-interest story is a fascinating one.
While camping with her husband at Sleeper State Park in Caseville, Andrea Mandich-Ross’s vacation took a heartbreaking turn when her wedding ring slipped from her finger after being overwhelmed by a wave. It was quickly swallowed by the chaotic nature of Lake Huron, with no help from wind gusts that rippled all visibility. Distraught, Andrea turned to Facebook, where she explained her situation in a saddening post.
“I’m writing this on the slim chance that someone may find it!” her post concluded. “Please share this post so that MAYBE, if someone comes across it, I can get it back. In the meantime, I will keep on searching.”
Andrea was surprised by the robust response from the Facebook community, which boosted her post with hundreds of shares—one reaching as far as North Carolina. People from all over reached out to assist with the recovery attempt, including local divers. However, even they were perplexed due to the tide conditions and less-than-ideal circumstances.
Eventually, the post piqued the interest of Christopher Ryan Schomich of Clare.
Chris is a hobbyist metal detectorist who responded confidently—with a 100% guarantee of retrieval, free of charge. Before Andrea could fully wrap her head around such kindness from a complete stranger, Chris was already en route with his gear.
Chris’s young daughters are also aspiring treasure hunters who frequently assist their dad with retrievals. Together with Emily Joy (6) and Ava Grace (4), and a high-powered Manticore metal detector, Chris drove two hours into the Thumb and arrived at the beach to meet Andrea—where shoreline assistance had already grown and continued to grow due to the ongoing reach of social media.
“Oh, my dad can find it,” said Emily Joy proudly. “He finds everything!”
At first, Chris was perplexed. It wasn’t until a comment from one of the other searchers—a man from Sebewaing who had observed the shoreline closely the day before—that things clicked. The man explained that the tide had receded and reshaped the beach entirely.
That was all Chris needed to hear. With sharpened instincts, he turned his attention in another direction and, within five minutes, found the gold ring buried under four inches of sand and two inches of rock.
Everyone present was aghast when he announced the discovery, and the beach exploded with applause. Andrea and her husband Steve were, of course, jubilant.
“He was such a nice guy!” Andrea exclaims. “When I offered him money, he said, ‘I don’t want anything. Just the look on your face is worth it. And because of them’—he motioned to his daughters—he just likes to help people.”
Chris is a Clare native who graduated from Clare High School and now lives in Farwell with his girls, who share his passion for adventure and helping others. He’s been metal detecting since childhood and has yet to come up empty-handed on a retrieval. He hopes his flawless success rate continues—and he’s always ready for the next challenge, little helpers included. When he’s not sweeping for buried treasure, Chris works as a title abstractor, selling houses and property.
Andrea is a schoolteacher from Cass City, where she and her husband will return after their camping trip wraps up this weekend. Their vacation is now punctuated by a beautiful community experience—a shining example of how social media can be a force for good, bringing people together for the right reasons.
“It’s kind of like Jeeping,” Chris compares. “Like, when you’re a Jeeper and you get stuck in the woods and post about it, there’s always another Jeeper willing to come help you.”
Most importantly, the couple will be returning home with Andrea’s ring—just in time for their anniversary in August. All thanks to the random act of kindness from a selfless Clare father who would rather see happy faces than dollar bills. We should all be proud to have him.
