Long Island Woman Digs Through 40-Foot-High Trash Pile To Find Anniversary Wedding Ring

WOODMERE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A Long Island woman found her prized anniversary wedding band after searching through more than two tons of garbage.

Jodi Elder accidentally threw her diamond-studded wedding band out after placing it in a paper towel when she was doing chores Friday.

"I think I was shaking from head to toe and I was hysterical," Elder told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall.

The Woodmere woman scrambled to find the ring which was given to her in 2001 by her husband for their 15th wedding anniversary, shortly after the death of her mother.

Elder called chairman of the Five Towns garbage disposal district James Vilardi after a suggestion from a friend.

The distressed Elder, her daughter, her husband and Vilardi met Saturday morning to dig through a 40-foot-high pile of garbage in search of the wedding band.

"It's bags, and bags, and bags, and muck, and flies," Elder said.

After a two-hour search through 5,000 pounds of garbage, Elder found the special ring.

She told Newsday Vilardi will always be her angel.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)