A lost high school class ring has been found and returned to its owner after more than five decades.

Jim Keelen graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School in 1972. He had just been gifted his high school class ring and was wearing it proudly when he lost it one day at the beach. He says that he thought for sure that it was gone forever until a Facebook post made two weeks ago changed everything.

“Fifty-one years later, this is happening. I still can’t believe it,” Keelen says.

The ring was found by 21-year-old Anthony DiMaria Sadorski. He has been enjoying some time near the water in Point Pleasant Borough during sunset. He was snapping a few pictures and then noticed something sparkly out of the corner of his eye. It was a high school class ring.

Sadorski made a post on Facebook about it, which eventually made its way to the Watchung Regional High School Class of ’72 Facebook page.

“They said, ‘Jim, that’s got to be you that they’re looking for,’” Keelen says.

And it was. Keelen says the ring itself was lost just a few days after graduation. He and a few of his friends were enjoying a day at the beach when he looked down and realized it was gone. He is now in possession of it once again, thanks to Sadorski.

“The ring was in decent shape having been gone for 51 years,” Keelen says.

The ring seems to have traveled a distance. It was lost near Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach. It was found a few miles inland near the north branch of the Beaverdam Creek.

Keelen thinks Superstorm Sandy may have played a role.

“My thinking is that it washed off the beach further inland into these marshes and creeks,” he says.

Keelen is now having the ring repaired and resized at the jeweler.

"I’m gonna wear it. I mean, this is unbelievable,” he says.

He says it is a reminder that there are still plenty of good people in the world.

"It's just heartwarming to see something like this happen. It's incredible to me and I can’t thank him enough, I really can’t,” Keelen says.

Monday was Sadorski’s birthday, which is why he was not available to be interviewed.