GRIDLEY, CA (MGP) -During mid-November in the pouring rain of Lower Paradise, Michael E. Maguire returned home with no other intentions but to find his wife’s wedding ring amongst the rubble of his former house.

Paradise residents flooded into town once the fire ended to recover what was in the ashes. Arriving into city limits, everyone had to present their identification card to grant them to pass and return back home.

The traffic was gridlocked. After what seemed like thirty minutes from the outskirts of town, which was usually a few moments’ drive, Maguire and his daughter finally saw what had happened to their home for the first time since they escaped the flames.

The two expected for the structure to be demolished because most of middle Neal Road was hit quite hard, and their suspicions were confirmed. They had brought gallons of water from Oroville to sift the clumpy ashes and find family heirlooms and meaningful jewelry.

Twenty-Six years of marriage with his wife Barbra Quimpo Maguire motivated this hunt for her lost ring.

Four long hours of work by the father and daughter resulted in discovering the wedding band that was completely black from burning. After the tedious job of sifting, the two overjoyed ring searchers realized a fire cannot break a family.

One man had enough love for his wife to dangerously search for the memories held inside the home that they built their family in.

One daughter felt the need to come along and close the gap of when the fire tore their family apart by coming along to help her father find something that means so much to her mother.

The Maguire family bond stays strong a year after the fire–no matter where they are in the area. Even though the trauma was supposed to break them, it made them stronger.

Later on, the ring was cleaned off by a jeweler and from now on Barbra Quimpo Maguire never takes off her wedding ring, a symbol of love, family and eternity.

The day of returning to Paradise after the fire was over, and the treasure was returned to the Maguire household.