In a tale that blends determination, adventure, and a touch of serendipity, 31-year-old Micherre Fox from Manhattan, New York, embarked on a remarkable journey to find her own engagement ring diamond. Her destination? Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas—the only place in the world where the public can mine for diamonds and keep what they find.
After three grueling weeks of digging, Micherre Fox’s persistence paid off when she unearthed a 2.3-carat white diamond on her final day at the park. Named the Fox-Ballou Diamond after her and her partner’s last names, this gem is not just a sparkling stone but a symbol of her unwavering commitment and hard work.
A Dream Born of Grit and Symbolism
Micherre Fox’s quest began two years ago during a conversation with her boyfriend, Trevor Ballou, about their future together. As a strategy consultant from New York City, Fox was no stranger to tackling complex problems, but she wanted her engagement ring to carry a deeper meaning. “There’s something symbolic about being able to solve problems with money, but sometimes money runs out in a marriage,” Fox explained. “You need to be willing and able to solve those problems with hard work.”
For her, finding her own diamond was a way to embody the promise she wanted to make to her partner—a commitment to perseverance, even in the face of daunting challenges. Fox’s research led her to Crater of Diamonds State Park, a 37.5-acre site that is the eroded surface of an ancient volcanic crater and the only public diamond mine in the world. The park operates on a “finders, keepers” policy, allowing visitors to keep any gems they uncover for a modest $15 daily entry fee.
Intrigued by the idea of sourcing an ethically obtained diamond directly from the earth, Micherre Fox decided that this was her chance. “I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen,” she said. “I researched, and it turned out that the only place in the world to do it was right in our backyard, in Arkansas!” With her partner’s full support, Fox set her sights on the park, determined to turn her dream into reality.
Micherre Fox lives in Manhattan, but the rock on her engagement ring didn't come from the Diamond District. After three weeks of searching Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park, she discovered a 2.3-carat white diamond. @DavidMuir shares her story. https://t.co/eMxKqU0gu6 pic.twitter.com/ZOUpxnRS7W
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) August 13, 2025
After completing graduate school, Micherre Fox saw an opportunity to dedicate a month-long break to her diamond-hunting adventure. She prepared intensely for two weeks, gathering mining equipment and studying diamond-hunting techniques. On July 8, 2025, she arrived at the park, armed with a tent, a cot, two pairs of the same outfit, soap, her Kindle, and a fierce determination to find her stone. Little did she know that the journey ahead would test her physical and emotional resilience in ways she hadn’t anticipated.
Trials and Tribulations in the Arkansas Heat
The Crater of Diamonds State Park is no ordinary tourist destination. Located about 110 miles southwest of Little Rock, the park attracts around 160,000 visitors annually, each hoping to strike it lucky in its volcanic soil. Since diamonds were first discovered there in 1906, over 75,000 have been unearthed, including the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam, the largest diamond ever found in the United States, now displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
On average, one to two diamonds are found daily, but most are small, with only about a dozen exceeding one carat each year, according to assistant park superintendent Waymon Cox. Fox’s three-week stint at the park was a grueling test of endurance. She camped in a tent on the park’s grounds, waking before dawn each day to pay the $15 entry fee and trek a half-mile to the plowed fields.
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From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., she dug, sifted, and rinsed dirt, taking only one day off during her stay. The summer heat was relentless, often reaching triple digits, and Fox admitted she was physically unprepared for the ordeal. “There were days where I wouldn’t shower for several days,” she recalled. “By the time I got out, I was so tired and hurt … I couldn’t muster the energy to spend 10 minutes undressing and taking a shower.”
The challenges didn’t end with the heat. About a week into her trip, Micherre Fox was plagued by chigger bites that left her itching for weeks. Later, her hand shovel was stolen, forcing her to dig with her bare hands until her nails were worn down. She eventually walked three hours round trip to the nearest hardware store to replace it—a journey incorrectly reported in some outlets as taking one hour.
Her hiking boots also gave out, with the soles flapping like peeling paint, exposing her socks with every step. Despite these setbacks, Micherre Fox pressed on, driven by her resolve to find her diamond. “If you take giving up off the table, the only thing left is to keep moving,” she said, encapsulating her mindset. Fox’s perseverance was bolstered by the park staff and fellow visitors, who offered guidance and camaraderie.
She credited them with making her visit memorable, even as she faced moments of doubt. Two days before her departure, she had a candid conversation with herself, coming to terms with the possibility that she might leave empty-handed. “I was like, ‘I’m probably not going to find a diamond at this point,’” she admitted. “And it’s really hard to own that, because I worked really, really hard.” Yet, she refused to give up, continuing her daily ritual of sifting through the dirt with unwavering optimism.
A Glimmer of Hope on the Final Day
On July 29, 2025, Fox’s final day at the park, her fortunes changed in a moment of pure serendipity. Around 11 a.m., while walking along the West Drain of the park’s search area, she noticed a glimmer near her feet. At first, she thought it might be a dew-covered spiderweb or mica, which only shines in light. Standing in the shadows, she nudged the object with her hiking boot, expecting the shine to dissipate.
But it didn’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 recalled. Clenching the stone in her fist, she rushed to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center, where staff confirmed it was a 2.3-carat white, colorless diamond—the third-largest found at the park in 2025.
The moment of confirmation was overwhelming. “I got on my knees and cried, then started laughing,” Fox said, describing the intense mix of exhaustion and exuberance that washed over her. The diamond, about the size of a human canine tooth, had a smooth, rounded shape and a metallic luster, with a blemished surface hinting at its violent origins deep within the Earth’s mantle.
Micherre Fox named it the Fox-Ballou Diamond, a sentimental nod to her and her partner’s last names, and plans to have it set in her engagement ring. She has chosen not to have the diamond appraised, as its value lies not in its monetary worth—estimated by gemologist Annie Dye to be between $10,000 and $50,000 depending on cut, clarity, and color—but in what it represents: her commitment to showing up, working hard, and never giving up.
The discovery was a testament to both hard work and luck, as assistant superintendent Waymon Cox noted: “Ms. Fox’s story highlights the fact that, even when putting forth your best effort, being in the right place at the right time plays a part in finding diamonds.” Of the 366 diamonds registered at the park in 2025, only 11 weighed more than one carat, making Fox’s find a rare and remarkable achievement. Her story has captured the imagination of many, serving as a powerful reminder that perseverance, coupled with a bit of serendipity, can yield extraordinary results.
Fox’s journey at Crater of Diamonds State Park is more than just a tale of finding a gem; it’s a narrative of resilience and determination. Her three weeks of digging in the Arkansas heat, battling physical discomfort and setbacks, culminated in a moment of triumph that will forever be etched in her engagement story.
As she prepares to set the Fox-Ballou Diamond in her ring, Micherre Fox carries with her not just a sparkling stone but a powerful symbol of her commitment to her partner and her ability to overcome challenges. For those inspired by her story, Crater of Diamonds State Park remains an open invitation to chase dreams, get hands dirty, and perhaps uncover a treasure of their own.