Suit Donated to Goodwill With Life's Savings Accidentally by Elderly Man
Illinois Man, Whose Wife Has Cancer, Hid $13,000 in Lining of Suit Jacket
An 80-year-old man who wanted to do something good decided to donate some old suits to the local Goodwill. What he did not realize, however, was that his entire life's savings of $13,000 was in the lining of one of the suit jackets, where he hid the money because of his mistrust of banks.
According to WQAD News, the man, who asked not to be identified because he is embarrassed, did not realize his mistake until at least a week later. At that point, he and his daughter went to a Moline, Ill., Goodwill to tell management of the mishap and then searched through all the suits in an effort to find the lost money, but it has yet to turn up.
To make matters worse, the man's wife is ill with stage 4 cancer and he needs the money to help take care of her.
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Goodwill does not know if the coat has been sold, but believes the man is telling the truth and is making an effort to help locate the money.
"We're sorting through the donations that came in at the time," said Goodwill spokeswoman Dana Engelbert said. "We're hoping it's still there and we can find it for them. It's their life savings. It's important."
Despite the disaster of losing one's life savings and having a wife with stage 4 cancer, the man has reportedly refused to accept donations, which have been offered from as far away as Russia and Germany since the story broke.
"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from around the world," his daughter said in a statement, according to ABC News. "My father’s wishes are to respectfully decline any donations of any kind. He only wanted someone to come forward with the money he gave away in error."
There is a $1,000 reward for whomever returns the coat, with no questions asked, WQAD reported.
