LA musician searches for engagement ring buried in wildfire rubble — proposes the moment he finds it

When setbacks strike, it’s easy to lose hope—but sometimes, perseverance leads to the most unexpected rewards. That’s exactly what happened to California-based musician and guitarist Brian McShea (@newsgit), who refused to give up on finding the engagement ring he had bought for his fiancée. Against all odds, he discovered it buried beneath the rubble of his home, which had been destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires. Overcome with emotion, McShea seized the moment and proposed to his partner, Stephanie Raynor (@singanini), right there in the wreckage—turning tragedy into an unforgettable milestone.

McShea documented the heartfelt moment on Instagram, sharing a proposal unlike any other. Instead of an elegant setting with formal attire, the couple was dressed in full protective gear—PPE suits, masks, gloves, and safety goggles—to shield themselves from toxic debris. Raynor, in a casual trekking outfit, posed with McShea, proudly showing off the ring they had miraculously recovered. “Found the ring in the rubble and asked right away,” McShea captioned the post, giving the online community a glimpse into their unconventional yet deeply meaningful engagement.

The couple’s house was among the thousands of structures destroyed in LA wildfires that ravaged the entire Pacific Palisades neighborhood to Altadena earlier this month, as reported by ABC7. Days after escaping the region, they returned to their now-burned-down home in Altadena on Friday. McShea had kept the purpose of his visit a secret from his partner, meaning the proposal was not at all pre-planned. In fact, the musician had very little hope that he would actually be able to find the ring. “I was thinking, ‘Well, maybe the stone can survive, and maybe we’ll find the little stone.’ I thought the ring was going to completely disintegrate,” the LA-based outlet quoted McShea as saying. Upon visiting the site, the musician enlisted Raynor’s assistance in finding his desk and sifting through the rubble.

Before the wildfires hit his home, McShea had safely kept the ring in one of his workstation drawers. “So, we’re digging around where my desk is, again just looking for a stone — man, I really didn’t have a lot of hope,” he added. After a few moments of searching, the couple finally uncovered a shiny object that, after some cleaning, turned out to be the ring. The couple’s heartfelt pictures from the proposal gained widespread attention on social media, including some truly adorable reactions. “I just opened this app, and I'm already feeling emotional! Congratulations, guys!” remarked @william.tristan_. Echoing a similar sentiment, “Oh, my heart is filled with joy for both of you! How beautiful!” @natimartigon expressed.

You can follow Brian McShea (@newsgit) on Instagram for more musical and uplifting content.