It’s a situation from the movie “What Would You Do?” You come upon a wallet full of cash and must ask yourself a crucial question.
When Tommy O’Connor, a senior at Irvington High School, left a 7-Eleven in Fremont, California, and noticed a wallet laying on the ground, he found himself in that situation.
The Mercury News reports he found a stack of $100 banknotes inside. There were so many that there was $2,300 in total in cash. Tommy was thereby put in a difficult situation.
Most of us would like to believe that we could resolve this dilemma while maintaining our moral integrity. However, when you’re in the scenario, that little demon known as human nature comes out to murmur his doubts; things are undoubtedly different.
Fortunately, Tommy stuck to his guns and decided to find the wallet’s true owner. But when he couldn’t locate a name or address to go with the money, there was a problem.
Instead, he delivered the wallet to Andre Gomez, his paraeducator at the high school. Andre recounted, “He was anxious to discover the wallet’s owner. He didn’t even consider any other options. Immediately, he realized what needed to be done.”
Tommy and Andre looked inside the wallet more carefully and discovered a Veteran’s Identification Card with a name on it. The two then contacted the veteran to give him back what was properly his.
After the reconnection, the vet said the funds were crucial to him because they were used to pay his rent. He praised Tommy for his generosity and gave him $50 in return.
But the mystery only gets stranger. When Tommy found the wallet, it turned out that he had more justification than most to take the money and keep it for himself. Tommy’s family struggles to make ends meet; the day before he made his discovery, he didn’t even have enough money for his lunch.
When asked about a large amount of money, Tommy’s father told KPIX 5: “With us living month-to-month, it is a big chunk of money, and I’m so proud of him that he did that.”
He should therefore be pleased. Tommy’s deeds support the notion that the world can still be a good and just place where people assist one another, not out of necessity but because it is the right thing to do.
Tommy’s mother also sent him a heartfelt note after learning what her son had done to express how “very proud” she was of him. The text from the mother said, “Love you to the moon and back.”
He merely replied, “You ought to thank yourself. You gave me life.”
Tommy could have taken the money to help himself or his family with their problems; most likely, no one would have known. But the fact that he didn’t can serve as a source of motivation for people everywhere. Ultimately, his story is worth more than $2,300 since it promotes kindness and character strength. These things are priceless, too.
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