Bobby Puryear was just minding his own business during the holiday season when something unexpected happened. He stopped by an ATM to withdraw cash, but when he looked down, there was a surprise waiting for him—a pile of money! As he picked it up, he realized it wasn’t just loose change. There was $500 in the tray.
Now, the phrase “finders keepers” might be what comes to mind, but Bobby wasn’t so sure about keeping the cash. Instead, he knew he had to do the right thing. After all, $500 wasn’t small change—someone had to be missing it.
Determined to return the money, Bobby drove straight to the bank and told the teller about his find. But instead of simply accepting the money, she called the manager. Bobby was confused, thinking he might be in trouble for doing the right thing.
The manager asked him, “What do you expect me to do with this money?” Bobby was taken aback but insisted they check the ATM’s records to see who had used it just before him. The manager finally agreed. Bobby gave his number and even shared the story on Facebook.
The very next day, Bobby received a call from the bank while he was at work. The bank had tracked down the owner—an elderly lady named Edith, who had withdrawn the $500 to pay her rent. Without that money, Edith would have been in real trouble.
Edith was so grateful, she wanted to give Bobby a small reward—just $20. But Bobby, not wanting to take any credit, refused. “Absolutely not,” he said with a smile. “Have a great day!”
But after getting off the phone, Bobby couldn’t shake the feeling that Edith might need that $20 more than anyone else. So, he called the bank manager and instructed them to transfer $200 from his account to hers. That wasn’t all, though. A co-worker overheard Bobby’s conversation and, moved by the story, offered to contribute $100 to Edith’s cause.
Then, an hour later, the bank called again. This time, the manager told Bobby that the tellers had all pitched in too, contributing another $300! Bobby couldn’t believe it. What started as a small, selfless act had turned into something much bigger.
He posted an update on Facebook: “So today was a good day… Merry Christmas a little early, Edith.”
The post went viral and was shared over 180,000 times, spreading kindness all over the world. Bobby’s simple act of returning the money wasn’t just an act of honesty—it was a reminder that small acts of kindness can ripple out and make a huge difference.
As Bobby put it, “I mean, this is just something small, but just think if everybody would just do something kind for someone every day… Imagine what this would be like.”
For Bobby, the $200 he gave was a lot, but he knew it was worth it. The thought of Edith not being able to pay for food or warmth didn’t sit right with him. And if you’re as moved by this story as we were, share it with friends and family to spread a little kindness today. You never know whose life you might touch!
