History’s “The Curse of Oak Island” has a tendency to keep its fans on their toes, waiting for the Lagina brothers to finally strike it big and find some sort of treasure worth shouting about. Of the two brothers, Rick Lagina is the group’s driving force, the one who became obsessed with Oak Island thanks to a Reader’s Digest article he read as a child. He’s often positioned as a true believer compared to his more cynical brother, Marty. The twosome is on a never-ending quest to find the treasure that has long been rumored to be located somewhere on the island.
So far, they’ve succeeded in finding some minor artifacts, but no big, world-shaking mountains of gold have been discovered. Fans of “The Curse of Oak Island” have occasionally expressed their frustration over how slow-going the investigation has become, but after nine seasons, Marty and Rick are in it for the long haul; they’re not going to leave until they either find the treasure or definitively prove it doesn’t exist.
Due to the show’s occasional use of maps, fans have a tendency to pause the show and take a moment to orientate themselves to the point the show is trying to get across. If you watch the show regularly, you might want to know which Rick moment is the one most worthy of pausing the program for.
Rick promises to solve the mystery of Oak Island once and for all
In Season 3, Episode 12, “Voices from Below,” Rick brings the descendants of Maynard Kaiser, a man who passed away while searching for the treasure in 1897, to Oak Island. Kaiser’s death, which happened when a rope slipped while he bringing up dirt from the money pit, was one of six attributed to those searching for the island’s secrets (via Oak Island Tours). These deaths contribute to the titular “curse” allegedly placed on the island by those trying to protect its treasure and secrets. Dan Blankenship, Rick and Marty’s late partner, erected a memorial to those who died in their search for the Oak Island treasure in 1995.
Kaiser’s descendants become emotional at the sight of the memorial, and Rick declares that it makes his quest more personal. “I felt a little emotional connection to that. It’s important to her [Kaiser’s descendent]. Thus, we’ll make it important to us,” he says. He then vows to find out “what really happened,” if only to offer these women full closure on their ancestor’s life. The moment ends with a big bear hug and a vow to stay in touch.
It’s definitely worth taking the time to pause on the memorial and read what it says, as well as take a look at Rick’s face. He’s trying his best to make Maynard’s descendants proud, and they seem receptive to his vows. It’s made very clear that this personal quest goes beyond simple riches and TV ratings for Rick, making this moment the one worth examining in detail.