What would you have done?

omsdogg · May 15, 2008

"Dad 'raised me to be honest' says teen who turned in $100,000"

An 18-year-old Southern Utah University custodian didn't think twice about what to do when he found more than $100,000 in cash in one of the school's public parking lots last month.
He gave it back.
"Right when I found it I kind of knew what I had to do because my dad's a cop," Jared Gray said. "He raised me to be honest and do the right thing."
On April 16, Gray arrived at work about 5:45 p.m. He was walking through a school parking lot when he spotted a plastic bag in an empty stall with "$108,000" written on it.
He didn't open it.
"He knew what it was as soon as he saw it," said Jennifer Burt, SUU director of communications.
Gray was familiar with the money bags the school used because he had come across them during his work.
Burt said the bag was accidentally dropped as it was being transferred from the school to the bank that day. It had only been in the parking lot for a few minutes before Gray found it, she said.
"I think that's the most money I've held in my hands ever at one time," Gray said.
Without hesitating, Gray called his uncle, who works at SUU as a campus police officer, and reported the missing money. His uncle, who was off-duty at the time, called an on-duty campus police officer who met Gray. He was like, 'Thanks, you really saved us,' " Gray said.
The Southwest Education Academy student said "a few teenagers" have teased him for returning the money, but most people praised him.
"I'd do [the same thing] all over again," he said.
SUU Police Chief Rick Brown contacted Gray and thanked him in person. One officer gave Gray $20 out of his own pocket. He used it to put gas in his car. And an employee from the school's cashier's office also thanked him by baking him a batch of M&M cookies, he said.
Gray said his parent's were proud of him for doing the right thing, and the school was obviously grateful too.
Burt said if Gray wants to attend school at SUU in the future, the university will offer to pay for some of his education to show its thanks.
"We're grateful to Jared," she said. "It's more than I would expect from most 18-year-olds who find that amount of money."
Click to expand...

props to this kid. and all they will do is pay for some of his education? come on peeps, the kid deserves a full ride under the "Honesty is the best policy" Scholarship. Your thoughts?

Bradical · May 15, 2008

The school probably could have written off the loss if the money was never recovered.

Good story, great kid, but I would have kept the money...

HatterDon · May 15, 2008

it would have financed your move to London, Bradical! :wink:

dcheather · May 16, 2008

omsdogg said:

props to this kid. and all they will do is pay for some of his education? come on peeps, the kid deserves a full ride under the "Honesty is the best policy" Scholarship. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

That kid deserves a pat on the back, but nothing more than that. I understand wanting the need to give the kid recognition for his good deed, but why should adults be rewarded for doing the right thing?

SteveM19 · May 16, 2008

Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking at you.

Forum	Title	Date
Miscellaneous	Question for the Londoners on FUSA...	Jan 9, 2009
Miscellaneous	J-E-T-S Done,Done, Done	Dec 30, 2008

What would you have done?

omsdogg New Member

Bradical Member

HatterDon Moderator

dcheather Administrator

SteveM19 New Member

Share This Page

About Us

League Standings

Useful Searches

What would you have done?

omsdogg New Member

Bradical Member

HatterDon Moderator

dcheather Administrator

SteveM19 New Member

Share This Page