Woman returns bag of $15,000 in cash she found while walking to work

WHITE LAKE TWP., Mich. (WJBK) - For the past year Diane Gordon leaves her home for VC Fresh Marketplace where she works down Highland Road, five days a week..

"Two point seven (miles) to be exact," she said.

She knows the exact distance because for the past year, she walks that route. Her car broke down last February. She was walking home on Jan. 21, when she stopped at the BP gas station for a snack.

And before she could set foot inside, she noticed something peculiar.

"I looked down on the ground and found a plastic bag with a large sum of money in it," she said. "When you turned it over there was even more money."

So she grabbed it - and knew exactly what she needed to do.

"This doesn’t belong to me, I need to call a police officer," Diane said.

"It never really crossed her mind to do anything other than turn it over," said Lt. Matthew Ivory.

White Lake police came out to investigate the envelope full which belonged to newlyweds.

"Inside the bag was also wedding cards, these were gifts from a wedding that occurred that day," said Ivory. "I think it was $14,780 worth of cash."

That was money Diane could certainly put to use.

"Especially under the idea that she doesn’t have transportation," Ivory said.

Aside from freezing cold days, Diane doesn't mind the walk to work. But not having a vehicle means she's missing out on other things in her life.

"Grandkids have sporting events that she can’t drive to, jumping into the car and driving over to see them doesn’t happen," Ivory said. "It could have made my life a whole lot easier but it’s okay, it didn’t belong to me."

Police tracked down the newlyweds and returned the money.

"It was a young couple who had just got married that day. It belonged to them," Ivory said.

Then police turned their attention back to Diane.

"One of our officer’s wives actually set up a GoFundMe," Ivory said. "(Because) the world could probably use a few more Dianes."

"I’m floored," she said. "I mean, I didn’t do anything special."

If you’d like to help get Diane a car you can find a link to that fundraiser HERE.

All she asks, is: "You find something that doesn’t belong to you, don’t keep it."