Couple Finds Wedding Ring After California Fire Burns Down Home

GOLETA, CA -- Ishu and Laura Rao of Goleta may have been one of the dozens of families who lost their homes in recent days from the California wildfires, but they found new hope after finding their wedding ring in the ashes.

Mike Eliason, public information officer for Santa Barbara County Fire Department, tweeted a photo over the weekend of Ishu down on one knee, asking his wife of eight months to marry him again.

Eliason wrote the couple returned to their Santa Barbara County home after it burned down last Friday. The couple was one of more than a dozen homeowners who lost their home in the Holiday Fire, which burned through 100 acres. It was one of several wildfires to scorch through the state in recent days, forcing the evacuation of thousands of Californians, and burning more homes in the region.

CBS news reported Laura typically takes off her ring at night and when the fire erupted, they had little time to evacuate their daughters, dogs and cat.

"Ishu Rao found the charred rings amid the ashes after figuring out where the kitchen sink was by looking for pipes," CBS reported.

"It put everything into perspective," Laura told CBS. "It took all the pain away and reminded me of what matters in life: the people around you."

A GoFundMe account was created for the family following the fire, which was 90 percent contained as of Monday. The fundraising page said the family were given a five-minute notice before rushing to leave the home that ultimately burned down. They hope to raise $25,000.

Read the full CBS story here.

--Photo via GoFundMe

See also:

• CA Couple Searches Raw Sewage To Find Beloved Engagement Ring