Paul Bukauskas realized his ring was inside a carry-on bag after it had already been picked up by a trash truck.
By the time he realized it, it had been hours since a Waste Management driver picked up the bag.
Bukauskas called Waste Management and jumped in his car, beginning the frantic, but ultimately methodic, group effort to find the ring.
Workers from Manhattan Beach and the Carson Transfer Station quickly got together to help.
Waste Management got ahold of a manager who identified the right driver and location it might be headed.
"We're able to pinpoint the possibility, the strongest possibility, is in Carson. So we met him in Carson," Waste Management communications specialist Vanessa Caustrita said.
Six hours passed since the luggage was first picked up.
"They moved the truck up, opened it up, and stuff started falling out," Bukauskas said.
They were able to determine what part of the truck the luggage would be in based on the time it was picked up. Incredibly, they found the ring!
"I trained my eye right there, and I saw my bag fall out and opened it up and there was a ring," Bukauskas said.
Like many personal belongings, the wedding band is more than a ring.
"It's tenacity. It's sticking it out through thick or thin," Bukauskas said.
"This story is a testament to the dedication and heart of the WM team, who continue to serve the Manhattan Beach community with care and integrity," read a statement from WM.