Photos: TSA
Kana Chi-Murenbeeld was travelling to Florida from Albany International and began crying when she realized that the diamond from her engagement ring had fallen out somewhere in the airport.
Once her predicament became known, TSA officers got on their hands and knees at the ticket document checking station, through the entire checkpoint lane, peering under machines; some even using flashlights in hope of getting a glimmer from the diamond.
All the while, other officers continued to stay focused on security screening.
Then TSA Officer Steve Kaminski took another look through the checkpoint bins and there it was, the unmistakable sparkle of a diamond.
Kaminski says the woman just about "squeezed the air out of him with a huge hug,” when she thanked him for finding the precious stone.
Photo of Steve Kaminski, the Diamond Hunter
“I have never in my life been so panicked and upset in an airport, let alone anywhere else in public before,” wrote Kana Chi-Murenbeeld in a thank you note to TSA.
Chi-Murenbeeld said that she went from “one of the worst feelings ever” when she realized the diamond was missing to grateful elation. “I have traveled all around the world and can say in all honesty that I have never met such an amazing team of workers in the airline or security industry” than the group of TSA officers she encountered in Albany.