In 2004, Kyle Upham had just returned home from his first tour of duty in Iraq. He and his fiancé Kristen had gotten married right before Kyle was deployed, so when he returned, they wanted to find the perfect engagement ring.
During the holiday season, the happy couple went shopping at Bailey Banks and Biddle Jewelers in Santa Barbara, California.
That’s when the store associate, Irene King, was nudged behind the counter by another sales associate. “There’s Paul Walker,” she whispered.
Paul Walker, the handsome blue-eyed actor from the “Fast & Furious” hit movie franchise, just so happened to be quietly browsing the store.
Meanwhile, Kristen and Kyle found the perfect diamond engagement ring in one of the cases… until they saw how much it cost. They talked about it, and $10,000 was simply too much for them to afford.
With heavy hearts, the Uphams left the jewelry store without the ring — but Irene called them later and asked them to come back. So, they did.
When they arrived back at Bailey Banks and Biddle Jeweler, one of the sales associates walked out holding a bag and said, “Here’s your ring.”
Kristen and Kyle were absolutely shocked. Nearly 10 years passed, and the Uphams had come to accept they’d never know the person who selflessly paid for their dream ring — or so they thought…![Screen-Shot-2016-09-08-at-7-600x5421]()
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Screenshot / CBS
During the 2004 holiday season, Kristen and Kyle Upham went shopping at Bailey Banks and Biddle Jewelers in Santa Barbara, California.
Kyle had just returned home from his first deployment in Iraq. He and Kristen wanted to celebrate their recent nuptials by finding the perfect engagement ring.
As the Uphams browed the store, the sales associates made an unexpected celebrity sighting.
Store associate Irene King was nudged by her co-worker who whispered, “There’s Paul Walker.” Paul Walker, the handsome and successful actor known for roles in popular teen movies like “She’s All That” and the blockbuster “Fast & Furious” franchise.
Screenshot / CBS
Meanwhile, Kristen and Kyle found a ring set they loved, but they agreed in the store it was too expensive.
$10,000 was just not in their budget, so they left the jewelry store empty-handed.
But later on, Irene called the Uphams and asked them to return.
“One of the ladies came out holding a bag and just simply said, ‘Here’s your ring,’” Kristen said. “I think both of our mouths dropped.”
The Uphams had no idea who paid for the ring, and Irene wouldn’t say a word. Kristen has been wearing it ever since.
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Paul Walker died on November 30, 2013 in a car accident in Santa Clarita, California at the age of 40.
That’s when Irene King posted an unbelievable story on his Facebook page. She wanted to publicly share her experience with the late actor and tell everyone just how generous and selfless he was.
Screenshot / CBS
As it turned out, Walker overheard Kristen and Kyle discussing the engagement ring that fateful day, and how they couldn’t afford it.
The actor quietly told a sales associate to put the ring “on his tab.” He also asked that his identity be kept a secret.
Walker paid for the ring and left the jewelry store.
Irene King wasn’t the only one with kind things to say about Paul Walker. His Facebook page was full of similar anecdotes.
Many people were unaware that Walker was an incredible philanthropist. He was constantly raising funds for people in need and provided manual labor and funds from his own pocket in the wake of natural disasters across the country. He also founded his own organization, Reach Out Worldwide, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
For the most part, Walker kept his charity work a secret from the public.![fdfd-600x409]()
Screenshot / CBS
For nearly a decade, the Uphams assumed they would never know who was ultimately to thank for their dream ring.
But then they heard the story about his jewelry store kindness, and they finally got their answer.
“It’s still to this day the most generous thing anyone has ever done for me,” Kristen says.
What an incredible man — so humble, so discreet and so kind. Please SHARE this story with your friends on Facebook!
The post Military Couple Can’t Afford $9K Dream Ring, Until Paul Walker Shows Up 9 Years Before He Dies appeared first on Viral Tales.