Woman Walking to Work Finds $15,000 Inside Bag, Returns It to Police

A woman who walks almost three miles to work every day for the past year has made headlines after she returned a bag she found that had $15,000 inside of it.

February 3, 2023

A Michigan woman who walks almost three miles to work every day for the past year has made headlines after she returned a bag she found that had $15k inside of it, FOX 2 Detroit reports.

As Diane Gordon of Michigan explained, she had been walking 2.7 miles to work at VC Fresh Marketplace five days a week for about a year after her car broke down in February, 2022. When she was walking back home after a shift on Jan. 21, she stopped by a gas station when she noticed a plastic bag with a large amount of cash in it.

"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." When she made the discovery, she immediately took it to the police. "This doesn't belong to me," she noted."

According to Lt. Matthew Ivory of the White Lake Police Department, “It never really crossed her mind to do anything other than turn it over.” Police launched an investigation into where the money came from shortly after, and discovered it belonged to newlyweds. “Inside the bag was also wedding cards, these were gifts from a wedding that occurred that day," added Ivory. "I think it was $14,780 worth of cash." Ivory said that Gordon’s act is even more kind-hearted because she could’ve done with the money herself to get a new car.

After the money was safely returned to its original owners, Ivory said that someone connected to the department set up a GoFundMe to make sure Gordon can get a new car.

“Dianne does not have a vehicle, and walks back and forth to VC’s daily, regardless of the Michigan elements, where she works in the deli. She self admittedly ‘needed the money’ and ‘it would be life-changing’ for her, but that she didn’t think twice about not turning it in,” reads the fundraiser, which has already surpassed its $25,000 goal with over $45,000 in donations. There ultimately was found to be $14,780 along with wedding cards in the bag which were the gifts of a newly married couple that day. Dianne is a perfect example of integrity and selflessness even in her own time of need. We will be working with Szott Automotive to get Dianne a vehicle with the funds raised.”