Ann receives a lost wedding ring from honest finder Zakaria: “The man of the year is already known” (Antwerp)
A short sketch of the situation: after a weekly night out in Don Vitalski’s Legendary Tuesday Club in the Ommeganckstraat, Ann Lenaerts walks back to her car in the bitter cold. Not much later they suddenly discovered that her wedding ring, with Dominique as from her deceased marriage, is no longer on her finger. Great panic breaks out.
“After the loss of Dominique caused me to lose quite a few kilos, the ring was a bit loose. During the show he already jumped up when I applauded. I put it around my middle finger, but it felt too tight. When I came outside, it was incredibly cold, resulting in extra fine fingers.”
“Once I discovered the ring road, I searched the car while the Tuesday Club staff, who are immediately like family to me, carefully reeled off the route to the car. Without result. Olivier, Dominique’s brother, didn’t waste any time and informed the press”, Ann looks back.
Safe haven
What they don’t know at that time is that 36-year-old Zakaria El Haloui picked up her ring on the Turnhoutsebaan. “After a game of table tennis I was on my way home when I saw the jewel. I wanted to take it to the police, but first even searched online for ‘Dominique’ and ‘ring’, you never know dipping. And voilà, I came across the article in Gazette of Antwerp and came into contact with Ann.”
“I asked Zakaria to send a picture just so I could be sure. When I got the confirmation, I was ecstatic. I had every hope and thought I had lost the ring for good,” Ann continues. “We are convinced that it would work out, although we don’t really believe in that ourselves. But the ring was a hold, a safe haven. When she went out without a ring, she always came back and said the same words: I forgot Dominique”, daughter Zahra Van Den Bogerd (22) explains. “We are relieved that it is well over.”
Spontaneous dance
To get the ring back to her again, Ann met Zakaria on Tuesday evening. When he turned up two minutes later than the agreed hour, the Wechelse woman could hardly stay with her emotions. “I spontaneously start dancing. It feels indescribable. I’m even hanging him on a chain for the time being, because this can’t happen to me again.”
Zakaria is delighted that he was able to help Ann and her family. “I was a little stressed about meeting the group, but it’s wonderful to see how happy the ring makes him. The man of the year has already been announced”, Olivier calls to him.
To bring the fairytale to a close, Ann needs Zakaria and his partner to go to the Legendary Tuesday Club together. “This should be celebrated appropriately. Exactly one week after the facts, so no better place than in the Ommeganckstraat.”