Woman returns $15,000, receives $82,000 in return

In a world filled with too many despots and depraved, here's a great reminder that good guys still win in the end, and so do good gals.

You may have missed this amazing and evolving story of hope and help in the news. As the fed increased interest rates this past week for the ninth time in a year, and your dollar is being stretched more and more under skyrocketing inflation, this story is a great encouragement in particular to most Americans who still live paycheck to paycheck.

Sixty-five-year-old Dianne Gordon lived in White Lake Township, a suburb on the outskirts of Detroit. She had a job at VC's Marketplace in Waterford Township, roughly 3 miles away from her home.

The Washington Post reported, after her Jeep Liberty broke down in February 2022, she was forced to commute by foot, a trip that took an hour each way. Gordon, who lives alone, said, "I didn't have a choice. I had to have a positive attitude."

She walked to and from work, 2.7 miles to be exact, five days a week for roughly a year.

65-year-old Dianne Gordon from Michigan. Source: Fox 2 Detroit.

Gordon was walking to work on another cold day in late January of this year. She decided to stop for a snack at a BP gas station mini-mart, when outside of it she spotted a plastic bag full of cash – a lot of it. She later learned from police it was filled with $14,780 – more than enough to purchase a replacement vehicle for herself.

She immediately knew in her heart there was no way someone dropped it on purpose. Even more, she knew they were likely very desperate for it, or would be very soon when they noticed it was gone.

She herself later admitted that she "needed the money," too. She added, "It would be life-changing," by helping her to buy a new car to see her grandkids more often.

Finders keepers, losers weepers, right? That was not good enough for Dianne.

There wasn't even a question what she should do. "I just looked at it, and I knew it wasn't mine," she said. "This doesn't belong to me. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to call the police."

According to Lt. Matthew Ivory of the White Lake Police Department, "it never really occurred to her to do anything other than hand it over."

Fox 2 Detroit reported that the police immediately opened an investigation into where the money came from and found it belonged to newlyweds: "There were also wedding cards in the bag, which [along with the money] were gifts from a wedding that [had taken] place that day," Ivory added.

The police were so moved by Dianne's honesty that the spouse of one of the responding officers set up a GoFundMe account for her.

Stacy Connell said, "As a police officer's wife, I typically hear the bad things, so this was obviously heartwarming. I was hoping we could help her get a car, since she could have walked into any dealership and used that money."

Stacy's initial goal for Dianne was $10,000. After the story aired on FOX 2 Detroit, it soared to $37,000. A few more days and $45,000 in donations were raised. In less than a week, the account swelled to over $60,000. And a few weeks later, it skyrocketed to over $82,000!

Gordon didn't return that bag full of money to get something out of it. She returned it because it was the right thing to do. But when she was blessed beyond measure via the GoFundMe effort, she was absolutely stunned by the outpouring of generosity. She said, "I never expected anything like this. I am overwhelmed. I was just doing what I was taught to do."

She said. "I mean, I didn't do anything special."

Really, Dianne? In our day and age, you not only did something special, you're special!

People magazine even highlighted her story and explained the best part: "Gordon received her new wheels: a green Jeep Compass from a local car dealership, Szott Auto Group."

"I am floored," Gordon told ABC affiliate WXYZ after receiving her new car. "I am having a hard time keeping it in. I am just so excited."

"I absolutely love it," she added to thePost. "It's got a steering wheel warmer and a backup camera; all things I've never had before."

Gordon said she even plans to offer rides to her co-workers who need them.

"I'll give them a ride home and pay it forward," she said.

Is that great or what? She's still paying it forward. What I call the miracle of multiplication! (You can watch Diane's story as it unfolded and was broadcast on FOX 2 Detroit.)

There are a host of lessons here. One good deed deserves another is just a starter.

Dianne Gordon is a great example of integrity and selflessness, especially in times of need and desperation. She demonstrated that acting with integrity is its own reward.

Her example also reminds us that the American spirit of decency and doing what is right is alive and well, in her as well as thousands of other Americans across the nation who blessed her in return. Such unconditional sacrifices prove once again: God delights in providing for those who put their trust in Him and not in money.

Neither Dianne nor I believe we should give (back) to get, but the fact is there are dozens and dozens of promises in the Good Book that the humble, righteous and generous will be blessed in return.

With Holy Week fast approaching, Dianne is one more shining example and reminder of what Jesus taught, "It's better to give [back!] than to receive." And it sure is pretty awesome when the former leads to the latter's blessing, as Diane's act of integrity multiplied in her and others. And I hope and even pray that it does so again just by my simple retelling of her story here.

As Lt. Ivory concluded, "The world could probably use a few more Diannes."

(For more on the power of viewing your money as God and healthy money managers do, I highly recommend you reading our friend and bestselling author Randy Alcorn's book,"Money, Posessions and Eternity," which just happens to be $5 off on his website epm.org. With this week also commemorating his beloved wife and our dear friend Nanci's homecoming to Heaven, please read about the legacy of her life and watch her powerful celebration of life service here that we attended roughly one year ago. Randy also just wrote an inspiring blog this past Friday, "Why the year after her cancer was the best year of her life.")

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