A Lawrence jewelry store on Friday replaced wedding and engagement rings for a Lawrence woman whose bands were stolen late last year.

“It’s wonderful,” said Lynda Canaday, who is blind.

Canaday and her husband, Jim, who also is blind, reported the rings stolen after realizing they weren’t in their usual place at their home. An empty ring holder later was found in the couple’s back bedroom.

A former in-home caregiver is suspected of taking the rings, although no arrests have been made.

Mike Hurst, president of Hurst’s Fine Diamonds, 3140 Iowa, offered to replace the rings after a worker read about the Canadays’ loss in the Journal-World.

“She had come into the store and put some money down on a ring,” Hurst said about Lynda Canaday. “But she didn’t say anything about the others being stolen, so we really didn’t know anything until the story came out in the paper.”

After realizing what happened, Hurst told the Canadays to consider the rings paid for.

“I figured that after all she’d been through, that would make her happy,” Hurst said.

Mike Hurst of Hurst's Fine Diamonds donates wedding and engagement rings to Lynda Canaday, a blind Lawrence resident, whose rings were taken from her home. Canaday and her husband, Jim, who also is blind, received the new bands Friday at Hurst's store at 3140 Iowa.

An anonymous donor gave the store $100 to offset some of the cost of the rings, Hurst said.

The Canadays say they are indeed happy with the gift.

“It’s been quite a comfort for us to know there are people in the community willing to respond to our loss the way Mike did,” said Jim Canaday, noting that Walker’s Fine Jewelry, 4931 W. Sixth St., also had offered to replace the rings.

“We’ve had a lot of people call to let us know they support us,” he said.