A heartwarming story of a homeless man who discovered a five-figure check on the street and chose to return it to its rightful owner is a powerful reminder of the goodness in people and can truly restore your faith in humanity.
Elmer Alvarez was homeless when he came across the large sum, but instead of keeping it for himself, he made the admirable choice to find and return it to its rightful owner.
Like many others in his situation, Elmer has battled drug addiction, mental illness, and has a criminal record.
But that’s not who he is anymore—Elmer decided to turn his life around just three years before discovering the lost check.
Reflecting on the day he found the check, Elmer shared that his first thought was, “I’ve got to look for this person,” and the idea of cashing it never even crossed his mind.
In an interview with CBS News, Elmer said, “It never crossed my mind because I made a decision to turn my life around. I’ve been clean for three years.”
He enlisted the help of a friend to call the phone number on the back of the check, which led him to the owner. Explaining to WTNH, Elmer said, “I was just thinking about how that person must be feeling after losing a check with such a large amount of money.”
