The Sparkle of Determination
Some people search for “the one” before they get married. For Micherre Fox, hers appeared at her feet – a glimmering diamond in the rough.
About two years ago, the 31-year-old New Yorker decided she wanted to find her own diamond for her engagement ring.
“I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen,” Fox said. But her research pointed her not to faraway lands, but to Arkansas in the United States. That’s where Crater of Diamonds State Park is located – the only public place in the world where anyone can dig for and keep real diamonds.
Backed by a supportive partner who agreed to wait, Fox traveled to the park on July 8. For three weeks, she dug nearly every day in the summer heat. Then, on the very last day, something incredible happened.
While walking across the park’s 37.5-acre search field, Fox spotted a flash of light at her feet. At first, she thought it was just a spiderweb. But it wasn’t.
“Having never seen an actual diamond in my hands, I didn’t know for sure, but it was the most ‘diamond-y diamond’ I had seen,” Fox said.
Park staff confirmed her find – a sparkling white diamond weighing 2.3 carats, about the size of a human canine tooth. It was the third-largest diamond found at the park that year.
“I dropped to my knees and cried, then started laughing,” Fox said. “I knew I’d found my forever stone.”
She named it the Fox-Ballou Diamond, after both her and her partner’s last names.
Fox didn’t just discover a gem – she discovered lessons about life, love, and hard work.
“There’s something symbolic about being able to solve problems with money, but sometimes money runs out in a marriage,” she explained. “You need to be willing and able to solve those problems with hard work.”
She also shared how important it was to be hands-on. “After all the research, there’s luck and there’s hard work,” she said. “When you are literally picking up the dirt in your hands, no amount of research can do that for you; no amount of education can take you all the way.”
Crater of Diamonds State Park is famous for discoveries like this. Since diamonds were first found there in 1906, more than 75,000 have been unearthed. This year alone, over 366 diamonds have been registered, including 11 that were over one carat. The park’s biggest discovery ever was the 40.23-carat “Uncle Sam” diamond in 1924, now displayed in the National Museum of Natural History.
Micherre Fox’s story is inspiring because it shows that patience and persistence can lead to amazing rewards. She could have bought a diamond, but instead she worked hard and created a story she will treasure forever. To me, her diamond is more than a gem – it’s proof that determination can shine as brightly as any jewel.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/UoGSEqqCXX0?si=c1rlH__QXXZrvlO6
- https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/14/us/crater-of-diamonds-engagement-ring-arkansas-hnk
- https://www.today.com/life/woman-finds-diamond-arkansas-state-park-how-rcna224880
- https://app.pictory.ai/
- https://chatgpt.com/
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