New Yorker Helps South Carolina Tourist Retrieve Engagement Ring from Times Square Sidewalk Grate
Chasmon Wilson had planned to propose to his girlfriend, Kayla Pressley, with a $1,600 princess-cut diamond engagement ring in Times Square. However, while attempting to surprise her with the proposal, the ring accidentally fell through a sidewalk grate, leaving Wilson devastated. Pressley was unaware of the proposal and missed the ring’s slip as she was putting their umbrellas down.
After Wilson realized the ring had fallen into the grate, he flagged down a Consolidated Edison truck. Elvimar Rivas, a senior analyst at Con Ed, assisted Wilson in locating the ring, which had fallen to a ledge 20 feet below ground. Despite Wilson’s initial negative outlook on retrieving the ring, Rivas reached out to the MTA and organized a rescue mission to retrieve the misplaced engagement ring.
A crew of five workers was sent to survey the situation, followed by another crew of five to retrieve the ring from below Seventh Avenue near West 46th Street. The operation had to be carried out overnight to avoid disrupting pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the area. Rivas described the successful retrieval of the ring as a rewarding experience, particularly due to the challenging location of Times Square.
Although Wilson had already bought a replacement ring by the time the original ring was recovered, he decided to propose to Pressley again in a different location far away from any potential mishaps. He finally proposed atop Stone Mountain in Cleveland, SC, and Pressley happily accepted. The couple, who are religious, believe that the engagement took place as it was meant to and plan to keep both engagement rings as part of their love story.
Grateful for the assistance in retrieving the lost ring, Wilson and Pressley now have a renewed sense of faith in the timing of their engagement. Looking towards their wedding day on May 24, 2025, Wilson is choosing to take a backseat in the planning process to avoid any further mishaps. With a heartwarming story of mishaps and miracles, the couple’s engagement in Times Square ultimately led to a successful proposal atop Stone Mountain, cementing their love story for the future.
