A New Zealand bride-to-be who was forced to sell her engagement ring in order to make ends meet has been overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of a stranger. The buyer — who happens to be a wedding officiant — gave it right back.
Angelique Bankhart had fallen on hard times and was devastated by the prospect of having to give up her three-stone diamond engagement ring, a ring she owned for only six months. Nevertheless, she took a photo of her precious keepsake and posted it to the Hamilton Buy'n'Sell Facebook page, along with this heart-wrenching caption: "My beautiful engagement ring is up for grabs, trying to make ends meet."
Bankhart immediately became so distraught with her decision to part with her ring that she avoided checking the responses to her post.
"I hadn't even looked - I didn't want to see if anyone wanted it," she told the New Zealand Herald.
Meanwhile, Chloe Boerema, a wedding officiant who works with couples daily and is intimately aware of the emotions that go into a piece of jewelry, took notice of the Buy'n'Sell post and knew instantly what she had to do.
"Angelique posted a photo of her beautiful ring and it really touched me because she was selling it to try to make ends meet," Boerema said. "She was in a bit of a tight situation that week, so I just messaged and said I was very happy to purchase it, but she had to keep the ring."
Bankhart was overwhelmed by Boerema's selfless act.
"It restored my faith in humanity - it really did," she said. "Words can't express how thankful I am."
The two women got to meet in person during an interview with a reporter for the New Zealand Herald.
"What does it mean to hang onto [the ring]?" the reporter asked Bankhart.
"Everything. Everything," she responded.
The fateful meeting of the two women is likely to develop into a lasting friendship. In just a few months, Bankhart and her partner will be taking their wedding vows and it looks like Boerema will be officiating.
Credits: Screen captures via nzherald.co.nz.