A 65-year-old woman won tens of thousands of dollars after returning $15,000 she found in a plastic bag. She came across a plastic bag full of cash and a couple’s wedding details outside a gas station in Michigan, USA. She returned the money to the couple and received $78,000 from netizens
A 65-year-old grandmother who returned $15,000 she found in a plastic bag outside a gas station was left surprised after the good deed was rewarded by hundreds of strangers she didn’t know. Diane Gordon, 65 years old, until a short time ago walked three kilometers each way to her place of work and returned home the same way, after her car broke down about a year ago.
It was on one of those winter walks against the ice and snow that she found the money in a plastic bag next to a note with a couple’s wedding details. The grandmother, from the town of White Lake, Michigan, United States, said: “I was taught that if it doesn’t belong to you, you don’t keep it.” She did not hesitate to contact the authorities to find the rightful owner of the bag.
White Lake Police Lt. Matthew Ivory told local media: “It never crossed her mind to do anything other than return it.” Using the names and details of the wedding, the police were able to locate the newlyweds. But Diane’s good deed did not go unnoticed by surfers on social networks. When the wife of the officer who answered Diane’s call heard about her actions, she started a fundraising campaign to help the woman.
Stacey Connell told The Washington Post: “As a female police officer, I usually hear the bad things, so obviously it was heartwarming. I was hoping we could help her get a car, because she could go into any car dealership and use that money.” People donated to her, and soon more than $78,000 was raised.
The policeman’s wife said: “She does ‘need the money’ and ‘it will change her life’ for her, but she didn’t think twice about maybe not handing it over.” The money went towards buying Diane a new car, including car insurance and any other maintenance costs. Diane said: “I never expected anything like this. I’m shocked. I just did what I was taught to do.”