We all know bargains are great to find no matter what you’re shopping for. From clothing to food, it’s always fun to save some cash on the items you want or need. One place that is perfect to shop at is, of course, goodwill. Shopping in any second-hand shops is a fantastic way to save money as well as help the environment! Not only can you find amazing deals, but it’s keeping clothes that aren’t in use from getting thrown out.
Bargain Hunting
Sarah Thomas of Oregon was a fan of a good deal like most people are. She could not help but be on the lookout for a bargain whenever she heads into Goodwill or the charity shop. She inspected the shelves and boxes for anything that seemed interesting or unusual. Not only that, but she was actually good at it! As a matter of fact, she had such a good eye for old treasure that she put up a clothing resale business. Whenever she went bargain hunting, she never thought something like this would happen…
Bargain Hunting
Not Just A Hobby
Her Facebook page is called Sarah’s Southern Oregon 2nd Hand Deals. The business was so successful that she generated a steady additional income from it! She was a hard worker who traveled to various Goodwill stores in search of special items to put up for sale. There were times when she got lucky and took home designer shoes, dresses, and handbags for a couple of dollars. Some days were tougher.
Not Just A Hobby
More Than You Thought
There are times when she would find worn or damaged products at the Goodwill, which she considered unfit for reselling. There were also times when she would find objects that are worth more than they look. This was what happened when she saw a designer diaper bag, which was on sale for only $3.
More Than You Thought
Good Find
Not only did the diaper bag come from a designer brand, but it was vintage as well. It was also in great condition, so she struck gold here. She knew the diaper bag would go for around $200 in the stores, so she sure got lucky! She snatched it up and paid for it without any hesitation whatsoever. However, she only noticed that there was something strange about the product that she bought when she got home.
Good Find
Mystery
“I was cleaning it and just noticed something heavy shaking around in there,” she said. However, she still could not figure out where the mysterious object was even after going through all the compartments of the bag. Her mind started to race with unpleasant thoughts. She had no idea what the previous owner of the bag hid in there… Moreover, why did they not take it out when they donated the bag?
Mystery
Too Curious
Her concerns grew as more time passed. Sarah thought perhaps she should simply return the bag and forget about it. It was only a used diaper bag, after all. In the end, her curiosity became too much for her to bear. At last, she noticed there was a small hole in the bag’s lining… She had no idea she was about to solve a mystery that went on for 7 years.
Too Curious
Something Silver
She took a peek into the curious opening and saw some silver in there. Her heart began to pound. She widened the hole some more and stretched it to stick her hand inside. Was there going to be treasure or trash in there? She was about to find out. She made the hole just big enough to slip her hand through the hole. “Here goes…” Sarah whispered and prayed for the best.
Something Silver
The Object Inside
Her hand made contact with something hard and cold, but she was glad that it was not wet. In fact, the object was smooth, almost like metal. She took it out of the lining and found a new Sony digital camera. She figured out what it was, but she now had a number of questions going through her mind. Who owned this camera? More importantly, why did they put it inside the lining?
The Object Inside
The Photos
Sarah found on the ‘On’ button and knew what she had to do. She waited a couple of seconds for the camera to turn on. She jumped when it beeped to life. The images started to fill the screen of the camera. She did not feel good about scrolling through photos taken by someone else, but she could not tear her eyes away from what she was looking at.
The Photos
Sinking Feeling
The camera was full of photos of a young woman and a baby. She assumed they were a mother and child duo. With every picture, her heart started to sink more and more. She went through all the photographs but knew she needed to do something about it. What would be the next step for her?
Sinking Feeling
The Right Thing
Sarah was asked if she hesitated before acting on it. She only said, “I live by the golden rule. I would hate someone to do that to me.” She already made up her mind. Looking at the photographs had been enough to make her do something about it. She was aware that this was the right thing to do here.
The Right Thing
Priceless
Sarah was a mother herself, so she knew it must have been heartbreaking for the owner to realize that the camera and the photos were now gone. She could not imagine losing the memories that came with the photos on it. Every mother wanted to look back at the moments captured by the camera. As we all know, pictures speak a thousand words. This is the reason she decided to look for the owner.
Priceless
Her Plan
Sarah came up with a brilliant idea. She had a pretty large following on Facebook, so she hoped someone could help her when she posted the photos on the social media platform. She did not know if this was going to work, but it was worth a shot. “I would hate to lose pictures,” she explained. “It might not be much, but it is to somebody.” Could the owner possibly be in the area? Sarah knew that it was possible that the owner lost the bag a long time ago.
Her Plan
Going on Social Media
This was the status she posted on Facebook: “I’m not sure if this is ok to post here, but I purchased a diaper bag at the Goodwill and found a blue Sony Cybershot camera inside with photos. Does anyone know who this family or people in these pictures are? I want to make sure they get their camera and most definitely their SD card.” It was a good thing the owner of the camera lived nearby. This would have been impossible without the power of social media!
Going on Social Media
Messaging Her
It only took one hour after she posted on Facebook for her followers to identify the owner of the camera. Katie Connor turned out to be the woman in the photo. However, she had no idea what Sarah was going on about. Sarah got in touch with her through a Facebook message to let her know about the camera and photos. When Katie did not realize what was happening, Sarah sent her a couple of photos to jog her memory. Did it work?
Messaging Her
Unexpected
After seeing the photos of her and her son, Katie nearly burst into tears. She did not think the camera and the photos would make its way back to her. The two of them arranged a meeting. They agreed to meet at the parking lot of the local Target. Sarah had no idea just how emotional it was going to be.
Unexpected
Thrilled
“Thank you!” exclaimed Katie as she strode up to the person who reached out to her online. She looked both exalted and incredulous. Sarah handed her the camera, and she said, “I think we thought it was long gone!” She told Sarah how long they had been looking for it. Sarah was shocked by what she heard.
Thrilled
A While Back
Sarah stumbled into the diaper bag and the camera at Goodwill in 2017. However, the camera actually went missing all the way in 2010. Her baby had been a year old when the photos were taken, which meant he was now 7 years old. Knowing this, it made perfect sense that Katie could not wait to look back at the photos of her soon.
A While Back
Modest
Katie had already lost hope about finding the camera, so she never expected to get her hands on it again. Without Sarah, this would not have been possible. However, Sarah did not think she did anything to deserve the “Good Samaritan” moniker the local papers had been calling her. “I didn’t think of it as a big deal. I would think that anyone else would do it, but I guess maybe nowadays that isn’t the case,” she explained during an interview. There are times when doing kind things comes naturally.
Modest
The Check
He went down to take the check and looked it over thoroughly. He read the amount several times to make sure his eyes were not messing with him. He thought he could simply go and cash it out, but did he dare? When he turned the check over, he noticed that there was something written on its back. Without thinking about it further, he began to run.
The Check
Hitting Rock Bottom
Elmer Alvarez had been living on the streets, so he did not think things could get any worse… No one likes to think it would ever happen to them, but there he was anyway. His personal demons had been taunting him the entire time. He thought things would get better after coming clean and trying to make things better. However, his old demons still come to haunt him to this day.
Hitting Rock Bottom
Winter is Coming
What made the situation even worse was that winter was approaching while he was still out in the Connecticut streets. Even though he has lived through them before, this was going to be bitter than usual. His sigh turned to steam in the November air as he stood at the spot where he got the most luck. He relied on the kindness of people he did not know. He had no idea what was going to happen to him.
Winter is Coming
Like a Ghost
Elmer late recounted the events that went down on that particular day in November. He did not know it yet, but it would alter his life. He made it through the cold morning but felt invisible, almost like a ghost walking the streets of the city. “Can you spare any change?” he would ask people as they passed by. Every now and then, someone would give him a couple of coins from the depths of their jacket pockets.
Like a Ghost
Survival
He decided he needed to move on, so he started to walk to a different block. People passed by in a hurry, their faces wrapped in thick scarves and hands stuck firmly in their pockets. They must have been thinking about lunch and the workday ahead of them. Elmer could only wish he had the same problems they did, but no such luck. He was in survival mode, perpetually wondering where he would find his next meal. However, things changed when he spotted an object on the ground.
Survival
Piece of Paper
He thought it was a piece of paper that someone dropped on the pavement and then forgot about. An icy chill blew past and caught it, which made it dance and flutter along the sidewalk. He did not know why he did it, but Elmer knew the piece of paper was going to be important to his destiny. He walked right up to the piece of paper and caught it with his freezing hands. He nearly blacked out when he saw what had been written on the slip.
Piece of Paper
Unbelievable
He looked at it some more and realized that it was actually what he thought it was. His tired mind was not playing any tricks on him! Someone dropped this thing, which could make his dreams become a reality. What was it? Well, it was a signed check with a vacant line for the name of the beneficiary. What surprised him about this was the huge amount that was written on the paper.
Unbelievable
Dare To Dream
His mind was racing when he looked at the figure written on the check. It was written out for $10,000. He dared to dream that he would come into this much money. He just needed to cash it and then spend it wisely to get himself back on his feet. He checked his surroundings but did not find anyone there. It would appear like the person who owned it has disappeared. Was this actually happening to him?
Dare To Dream
Meet Roberta Hoskie
Only a couple of blocks away from the spot where Elmer discovered the incredible slip of paper, Roberta Hoskie was working hard at her desk. She was the President and CEO of Outreach School of Real Estate and Outreach Realty Services. She was sitting at her office as she planned her schedule and made appointments. It was hard to make it in the real estate, but she was a hard worker through and through.
Meet Roberta Hoskie
Making It
No one would have ever thought that the self-made woman used to live on the streets as well. At the age of 17, she was a single mother struggling to get by and had no one to turn to. However, things turned around for her when she applied for an internship position at Yale University. Even though she was no longer in poverty, she never once forgot the lonely and long nights she spent without a home.
Making It
A Number
Elmer continued to turn the check over. He saw a phone number at the back of the check. He had no clue whose number it was, but he would later find out that it belonged to Roberta. At the time, she did not even realize it was missing. Their worlds were going to collide, and his life was about to completely change. It might have pained him, but Elmer knew he had to do the right thing.
A Number
His Decision
He took another look at the check and inhaled deeply. Was he actually going to do such a thing? He knew $10,000 was no laughing matter, and it could truly change everything for him. Was this really the right thing to do? He decided it was, so he crossed the road and looked for a friend of his. He planned to borrow a cellphone and give the number on the check a call.
His Decision
The Phone Call
Roberta answered the phone after it rang three times. The caller told her that she lost her check that morning. She could not believe what she was hearing. She then looked through her handbag right away and learned that the person on the other end was correct. Roberta could not believe just how careless she had been. She immediately regained her composure and asked the man to meet up so that she could retrieve the check she had lost.
The Phone Call
An Honest Man
Elmer and Roberta agreed to meet at a street corner nearby. Accompanied by a friend of his, he gave her the check. Roberta could not believe the honesty of this man. If it had gone to someone else, she doubted they would do the same thing he did. She documented the incident and then took to Facebook to post it. She talked to the men for a bit and made an unbelievable discovery.
An Honest Man
Finding Out
Elmer was much too proud to let her know that he was living on the streets, but his friend informed her about it anyway. She could not believe her ears when he told him this. It only made the interaction even more meaningful if that was the case. However, Elmer had no idea what she would do to repay him.
Finding Out
Must Be Fate
She thought long and hard about what something she could do for him to thank him for his actions. She eventually reached a decision. Her meeting with Elmer did not sound like a regular coincidence. It felt like these two strangers were destined to meet for reasons bigger than both of them. She told him to wait there while she went back to grab her checkbook from the office.
Must Be Fate
His Reward
She wrote him a check and told him how she managed to become a successful person through strength and willpower. Elmer could not believe that this woman had been in the same position he is in now. He accepted the check she wrote out to him, but Roberta soon realized that she could help him more than with a cash reward. It will make things better for a bit, but there was something else she could offer.
His Reward
Clarification
Despite the fact that it was made out to Elmer and he had an ID with him, the bank teller refused to give him any cash for the check. They wanted to call Roberto to clarify the matters. They thought it was unbelievable that this homeless man had a check like this and suspected it was fraudulent. Two weeks after the incident, Roberta got in touch with him once again and offered him a new solution.
Clarification
Followers of His Own
After she took to Facebook and posted the video of the interaction between her and Elmer, the post went viral. Viewers were amazed by the honesty of this homeless man and, unbeknownst to him, he had a number of fans as well. When he and Roberta met up again, he was surprised by the throng of people greeting and applauding him. However, there was another surprise in store for him that day.
Followers of His Own
Their Plans
Elmer was given a certificate of appreciation by Ms. Millionaire Mindset, an organization that aimed to help those in poverty. After this, Roberta talked to him and discussed her big plans for his future. She told him that she planned to “teach him how to fish,” and explained how this was going to happen.
Their Plans
How To Fish
Roberta enrolled Elmer at her real estate school, but he was going to avail of the classes without any charge. She wanted to show him it was possible to get out of the cycle of poverty. She was able to do this herself, after all. She also presented him with another surprise that he did not dare to dream of.
How To Fish
More Surprises
Roberta also told him that she got him an apartment where he could stay for the next six months. Yes, she paid for the rent in full! His face was full of emotions as he processed all of the things that she just told him. He then leaned over and hugged her to show her how thankful he is for all the things she did. How could words be enough to tell her his gratitude when she was making his life so much better?
More Surprises
Ensuring His Success
However, there was something else she had in store for him. Roberta also made him a standing job interview at the real estate firm owned by her friend. When he was ready, he could go into the real estate industry. “I’m ready now!” he said through tears. In only two weeks, Roberta witnessed the results of everything she did for this man. He had some great news for her as well.
Ensuring His Success
The Results
The two of them waited for the results of the real estate exam to come out. If he passed, it would mean that he could now start a career as a real estate agent. He attended classes diligently and studied long and hard. At long last, the verdict was out. Roberta took a deep breath and checked the results. The two of them were about to found out if he passed.
The Results
For The Better
Roberta could only grin widely at the results they had been so anxious about. Elmer made it! The pair felt elated by the great news. Elmer can now fulfill everything he ever dreamt of. Who would have thought this would happen when he decided to be honorable and return the blank check to its rightful owner? He did not expect it, but doing the right thing led to a better life for him. He is now a member of the National Association of Realtors! We sure are proud of how far he has come.
For The Better
Good Karma can certainly doing good, even when times are tough. Continue on to discover how a homeless man doing a good deed ended up with him having $190,000 to his name.
Billy Ray Harris, 55, was going about his day just as usual. He was homeless and sitting on his usual Kansas City street corner, holding a cup and asking passers-by for spare coins. He had no idea, however, that later that day, something life-changing would happen to him. He was going to make a lot of money – $190,000 to be exact. But how exactly is this going to happen?
Usual Spot
Sarah Darling passed Harris at his usual spot one day in February and dropped some change into his cup. Little did she know that she accidentally dropped something else in the cup in addition to the money.
What was it?
Usual Spot
Didn’t Notice
Sarah went on with her day, unaware of the important item she no longer had in her possession. Fortunately, Harris noticed something in his cup that shouldn’t have been there. He peered inside his cup and couldn’t believe his eyes. Amongst the coins was something else, shining strangely.
Didn’t Notice
Unbelievable
It was an engagement ring inside the cup! Harris couldn’t believe his luck. He struggled to recall how this might’ve happened. The question is now, what to do with it? He considered selling it. After all, he was in serious need of some cash. As such, he got the ring appraised. A jeweler told him that the ring had a value of $4000. Harris was excited and overwhelmed, but something at the back of his mind kept bothering him.
Unbelievable
Selling It
Harris thought about the whole situation and ultimately decided that he couldn’t go through with it. It appears that nagging thought at the back of his mind was in fact his conscience. He knew that someone must have accidentally dropped it in the cup. Even more, it was an engagement ring so it must have had significant sentimental value too. So what did Harris do next?
Selling It
Returning
Harris decided he would return the ring and after a few days, he even managed to return the ring to its rightful owner, a woman named Sarah Darling. “I am not trying to say that I am no saint, but I am no devil either,” Harris told. Darling was ecstatic. She was overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness. She knew that it must have been difficult for Harris to return the ring considering his situation. She knew she had to repay Harris for his kindness, but how?
Returning
Grateful
To express their thanks, Sarah and her husband Bill started a fund in order to raise money for Billy, giving him the tools to get his life back on track. “We set a goal for a thousand dollars,” Darling said. “We set it up because a lot of people who had been touched by the story expressed interest in helping Billy Ray.”
Grateful
Good Karma
It has become apparent that good karma definitely exists! Who would know how far the fund could go? They managed to raise over $190,000 for Billy! Incredible, right? Harris consulted with a lawyer, receiving the help necessary to put the money into a trust. Since then, he has purchased a car and even put down a payment for a house! This wasn’t even the best part, though.
Good Karma
Tracking Down
Billy went on to appear on television as a result of his kind act. Luckily, his family members who haven’t been able to track him down for 16 years were now aware of his whereabouts! They even suspected he might be dead! The entire family was happy to be reunited: “When I think of the past, I think, thank God that it’s over,” he said. “I mean, I feel human now.”
If this story touched your heart, continue on to find out further consequences of good-deeds.
Tracking Down
Rummaging
It was a normal day for Sean Curry, a homeless person at the time. Homelessness had affected him for years, on-and-off. Sean had to find alternative methods to find food, seeing as how he couldn’t purchase any. As such, he acquired food by regularly rummaging through trash cans and dumpsters outside of shops. He would hope to find something edible.
Rummaging
A Lucky Find
Sean was only 57 and was going through one of the worst moments in his life. Living on the streets is tough, and the unexpected can happen at any moment. This was the case for Sean, when he was rummaging in a dumpster for something to eat. Sean found something other than food however, a floral-patterned pouch! Not only this, but it was stuffed with credit cards. People often accidentally throw away or simply lose things of value and it can be distressing.
A Lucky Find
Identification
After a close inspection of the pouch, Sean was able to identify the owner from the names on the credit cards. It turned out that the wallet was the property of an elderly woman who lived six miles away in Mill Valley, California. Considering Sean’s situation, it would’ve been easy to take advantage of this situation. He could buy food, anything he wanted! We are sure in many instances, a desperate person would have done this too. Sean was different, however.
Identification
Evelyn Topper
It was lucky that there were so many identifying cards inside the wallet. The owner’s name was Evelyn Topper and the pouch contained her driver’s license, debit and credit cards and all her healthcare cards. Sean was more than aware of how distressing it can be for someone to lose all these items at the same time and knew it was right to return them, if possible.
Evelyn Topper
A Stressful Time
Confirmed Sean’s suspicions, it was indeed confirmed that Evelyn was struggling and stressed out having lost the wallet. Whenever Sean is able to get work, he works in construction and building maintenance, but he has found himself unemployed for long periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. He decided to call the owner after the realization that if he had lost something like this, he would expect and hope that someone would return it. Evelyn was ecstatic at receiving the call from Sean.
A Stressful Time
Camera Footage
It was December 9th when Evelyn lost the pouch. She had stopped by Kamson Coffee to order a decaf chai tea latte and a bubble tea, for herself and her 12 year old granddaughter. However, it was whence she paid for her beverages that disaster struck. After paying, she placed the wallet inside of her vest pocket. It is visible in the footage below that Evelyn forgot to zip up her jacket! It was only when she got home did she realize that her pocket was empty and the wallet was missing.
Camera Footage
Evelyn’s Reaction
Just like anyone else, Evelyn was immediately distressed for losing the wallet. As soon as she realized, she phoned the coffee shop to see if perhaps she’d dropped it there. Unfortunately, they couldn’t see it anywhere in the store. As seen previously, it seems as though Evelyn did leave the shop with the wallet in the jacket, she just didn’t zip it up. It would imply that she dropped it outside.
Evelyn’s Reaction