Hosch went to graduate school at A&M and graduated in 1976. Her husband was class of '75.

When she and her husband were in San Antonio in 2014 celebrating her birthday, they met Martinez, who was their waitress.

Martinez noticed the couple's Aggie Rings and started talking about her son -- who had just started school at A&M -- and how proud she was of him.

Hosch said they could tell Martinez was incredibly proud of her son, and they bonded with her.

"Being a mom of a couple of Aggies myself, I just can't tell you how proud we are of our children, and you could just see that in her face," Hosch said. "She just tugged at our hearts."

Hosch said what happened next was a simple story -- "one of those things that just happens."

"My husband just looks at me and he goes, 'Oh, here's our chance. What do you think about buying his Aggie Ring for him?'" she said.

Her husband asked for Alcoser's name, and spelled it wrong, Hosch said, so he handed it to Martinez to correct it.

Hosch said they still have the receipt with Alcoser's name on it.