Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network. With the exception of fixing the typos, here is the story in its entirety.
Senior With No Car Walks to Work–But After She Found $15k and Returned it She Does Now
Strangers around the country are rewarding a Michigan woman for her honesty after turning in nearly $15,000 cash to the police that she found at a gas station.
It turned out to be the contributions of guests to a pair of newlyweds, who were more than overwhelmed by her integrity.
65-year-old Dianne Gordon has been walking 2.7 miles to and from her job behind a deli counter every day since her Jeep broke down, and she didn’t have enough money to fix it. One day she decided to stop at a gas station for a snack and noticed a plastic bag. Inside there was a lot of money; turning it around, there were some greeting cards and a lot more money.
Just doing what she “was taught to do,” the grandmother of two called the police, who sent an officer to take custody of the sum.
Gordon could have walked into any dealership in the state and driven something off the lot that day, but knew because the money wasn’t hers, it wasn’t correct to take it.
“If it doesn’t belong to you, you don’t keep it,” she told the Washington Post. “I didn’t do anything special. All I did was return something that didn’t belong to me.”
Police Chief Dan Keller of the White Lake Township Police Department telephoned Gordon later that day to tell her they had used the information on the cards inside the bag to track down the owners. The happy couple was “overwhelmed” by Gordon’s honesty, as was Keller’s wife Stacy Connell.
“As a police officer’s wife, I typically hear the bad things, so this was obviously heartwarming,” said Connell. “I was hoping we could help her get a car since she could have walked into any dealership and used that money.”
Connell set up a GoFundMe, and in just 6 days, it raised four times as much money from people wanting to reward Gordon’s act of selflessness as she had found in the sealed bag that morning.
Grateful for the money and the words of encouragement from all the contributors, who celebrated with comments like “there are still good people in the world,” Gordon said she was stunned by the outpouring of generosity, which at the time of publishing, raised $82,000 and then closed.
On February 8th, Friends of Dianne wrote: “Dianne officially signed for her new Jeep Compass yesterday at Szott M-59 in White Lake Township. Along with the new car, she also got an extended warranty, maintenance, insurance, and plates/tabs.”
There was also an inspection done at her home to evaluate some much-needed repairs that will be done very soon.
The good news here is a beautiful story that shows, more often than not, honesty pays. Today’s JohnKu talks about honesty. I hope you have a wonderful weekend
Choices by John W. Howell © 2023
A choice to do right,
Or to select the wrong way . . .
Do we think it out?
Fiction Favorites 
Beautiful story, John, thank you for sharing it with us. The quiet majority have hearts of gold, often burdened by life’s challenges. You’ve reminded us of this truth and brightened the day. ❤️
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There is a big batch of those in the middle of the rabid left and right who are looking for a better way. I hope a leader rises up to take advantage of that desire. Glad you liked it Gwen.
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Well said, Gwen.
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Honesty pays. Great story, John.
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Unless you are in Washington politics. Thanks, Steve.
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Well said, John. Of course, we must remember that there are very few, if any, truly honest pols, especially in Washington🥴
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Yes indeed.
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Doing the right thing doesn’t require too much thinking, John. Thanks for sharing this story.
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For some it does. Check out the dopes in Washington.
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Haha – I should have qualified my comment. You’re right, John.
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😁
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What a wonderful story. You can never go wrong doing the right thing. Thanks for sharing, John!
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I believe that too, Jill. I wish a lot more did as well. Thanks.
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This one is special. It has two happy endings.
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Yes it does. Thanks, Craig.
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This story gives me hope for humanity. Thanks, John. Have a great weekend.
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You as well, Staci. We need to have hope for humanity.
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We are all taught that line about honesty, but few act on it these days. Hooray for Diane!!
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I agree, GP. I’m so glad she was rewarded for her honesty.
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A wonderful story, John! It proves there are still a lot of good and honest people in the world.
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I wish those good and honest people had a voice. All we hear is the left and right screaming at each other. Thanks, Joan. 😁
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Sad, but true, John. There has to be a middle ground.
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Gotta wonder why no one has tried to appeal to the middle.
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You are so right about that, John.
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😊
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After hearing about all the bad things going on in the world, I look forward to this post every week, John. There are still good people out there.
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There are, Teri. 😁
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That’s so cool! I love happy endings. 🤗
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Me too, Deborah. 😁
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What a great story, John. It would have been so easy for her to walk away with the money and never say a word. It is good to see how everyone rewarded her for her honesty. Makes me feel good about humanity.
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It is a good story for the reasons you state, Maggie. Thanks
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Thank you for sharing.
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😊
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It is always seems to be that those who need, give more. In this case, returning something not theirs. What a breath of fresh air to see such honesty. And how beautiful that it ended up being such a gift to her. Lovely story, John.
Love your Johnku!
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Thank you, Dale. I think you summed up the beauty of this story nicely. 😁
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I seem to have my moments 😉
Happy Friday, John!
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😊
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Not to take anything away from the good choice this grandma made, but isn’t it sad that this kind of story makes honesty seem like the exception rather than the rule? (Perhaps I’m just being curmudgeonly??)
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There were many who wanted to reward grannie’s behavior so there may be a lot in what you say, Debbie. We have to keep looking for the honest. Thank you.
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Thank you for saying what I was thinking, Debbie.
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I was a tad leery about saying it, Liz, for fear I’d be seen as heartless, ha! Thank you for making me feel that I’m not the Lone Ranger.
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You’re welcome. That’s how I was feeling as well. 🙂
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Great story.
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Thanks, Charles.
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A heartwarming story, John. I have to look at myself and ask if I would have been strong enough to have turned the money over. Yes. It was the right thing to do.
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Of course you would.
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Gosh, it’s so good to hear about honest people! I’m glad it worked out to her advantage. Thanks for sharing this, John.😊
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My pleasure, Tim. It is a great story.
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What a great story, John:) I’m so glad her honesty was rewarded. Our little town has a lot of this honesty still left. Gives you hope.
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Good to hear, Denise.
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A great bit of good news, John. Kindness and honesty always pays, in one way or another. This was so heartwarming!
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I agree, Diana. Thanks.
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This is such a heartwarming story John. Putting good things out and something came back to her. ❤️❤️
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I agree, Cheryl. Was a good story.
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A feel good story that renews my faith in mankind. ❤️ it! Thank you.
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Thank you, Linda. Glad you liked it.
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What a great story. On a much smaller scale, I once found a $100.00 bill by a construction site. I took it to the site trailer and gave it to the foreman. He said, “Come back in a week, if no one mentioned having lost a $100.00 bill, you can have it for your honesty.” I just thought some poor fellow may have dropped it and would come looking for it. I returned in a week and he gave me the money as no one mentioned losing it. So I bought a pair of shoes I had been eyeing and wore them for years. Honesty does pay!
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I’m glad you got rewarded for your honesty, Darlene. 😁
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Love the fact that she never questioned her decision. She was raised to know the right one. That is what we need to teach our children.
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I agree, Pam.
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Jesus, this is such a beautiful story, Boss. Dianne deserves all the love she has been getting because it’s coming people who are yearning for kindness and honesty in this world. And this woman, she done provides.
Great Friday piece!
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I agree, Marc. She pretty much did what a lot of folks would do.
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Great story Boss
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😊
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I love this story. I believe most people would have done the same thing, but the fact that she didn’t have a car compounds the acts of kindness. This week Amazon delivered a package to my P.O. Box, not my home. It was huge and heavy. When I was at the counter to pick it up, I asked if it could be delivered to my home. The kind postal worker asked the Postmaster. He asked for my address, and 20 minutes later he was at my door in a USPS truck. He even brought it in the house. There are so many good people. Keep your Friday stories coming, John.
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I didn’t know Amazon delivered to PO boxes. That was very nice of the postal department since they didn’t get any revenue. Glad to hear that kindness still exists. Yes Friday Good News is now a regular feature.
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Many people don’t have a mailbox and prefer to go to the post office, so Amazon delivers. I’m glad Friday Good News is a regular feature!
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Me too. I found myself getting more and more cynical about the world politic and so decided to focus on the good instead. Glad I made that decision.
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It’s too bad that the ‘bad’ is what makes the news, when actually there’s far more good. I’m glad you made that decision, John.
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I am too. 😊
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😀
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One of your best good news stories, John. Doing the right thing when no one is watching is the definition of integrity.
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Yes it is, Pete. Thanks.
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That was such a blessing for her and others to read and hear about! As others mentioned, too often others will take the money and look the other way. Her heart shone true and so others were inspired by her. Such a great, great story! Thanks for sharing, John!
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Thank you, Traci. It was a massive movement of goodness. 😁
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What an inspiring story, John. Pleased to hear that Michigan woman’s good deed was rewarded. Have a good weekend.
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You as well, Guy. Thanks for the visit.
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What a wonderful story, John, that proves integrity still exists. And then kindness abounds to raise that large sum of money so life could become just a little bit easier for her. Thanks for sharing and have a good weekend!
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Have a good weekend as well, Lauren. I think there are a ton of folks who would help someone if they knew how. 😁
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I love it! The only sad part is that so many people were surprised by her doing the right thing.
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I think that is because there is so much negative thought that a good deed stands out. people voted on how good that was with their money.
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Agreed.
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Wonderful example of honesty paying off!
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It is Becky. Thank you. 😊
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In answer to your JohnKu…..
Nothing to think about.
Do the right thing!
Great post, John!
📦 – b x 4
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Thank you, Resa. 🧦-s x 4
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⏰🕰 -cl x4
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📦 -b x 🂤
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Such an encouraging article, for a skeptical world!
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True, Mark. Thanks.
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