After girlfriend's tragic death, man gets refund on engagement ring after owner's change of heart

A local couple had dreams of spending the rest of their lives together. Corey Jeffers and his girlfriend Cicily Blackman were on their way to Hawaii where he was planning to pop the big question. But tragedy struck when she died unexpectedly.

Friends and family came from all over to say goodbye to Blackman as her funeral was held at Mount Airy Baptist Church in Northwest D.C. on Friday.

"She loved church, she loved God, she loved to sing and she had an infectious smile," said Jeffers. "Everyone loved her."

They had fallen in love and Jeffers knew she was the one. A few months ago, he paid $6,700 for an engagement ring, hid it in his house and planned to ask Blackman to marry him in Hawaii. But on the way to there during a stopover in San Francisco, she suffered a major blood clot.

"Unfortunately, she passed away a day after arriving in California," said Jeffers. "Complications from a blood clot that spread to the lung."

After making funeral plans, Jeffers contacted Charleston Alexander Diamond Importers where he bought the ring. He hoped to get a refund, but was told, according to company policy, that only a credit could be given.

"He said essentially that we are not going to give you a refund," Jeffers said. "You can get engaged again, we will give you store credit and you can upgrade from that ring. I broke out in tears in the store."

John Sabet, the owner of the business, said he and his staff were heartbroken to hear about Jeffers' girlfriend.

"We were with Mr. Jeffers when he made his original purchase and saw all of his happiness and what he was experiencing," said Sabet. "When he came back to tell us what had happened ... we were all upset, we were all literally in tears when he left."

After Jeffers contacted us, Sabet said he told the grieving man along with FOX 5 that he could only issue a credit because that was the store policy for any return made seven days after the date of purchase. But Sabet then had a change of heart overnight.

"Last night when I did sleep and think about everything, I decided when I woke up this morning this was the right thing to do," he said.

Jeffers contacted FOX 5 Friday afternoon and said this refund would not have happened without FOX 5 stepping in.