Buying an old piece of furniture is a very big gamble. The deal might be too good and the cost reduced but once you bring the furniture home, the reason for the low price becomes apparent. You might also buy one and get a huge reward, and this was the exact situation that is constantly experienced in a Salvation Army Store that sells used couches.
For three college room mates in New York, what they found in their used couch was beyond belief to the extent that it had them questioning everything they believed in.
This is the story of three school friends, Reese Werkhoven, Cally Guasti and Lara Russo, who decided to live together in a New York apartment called New Paltz, 75 miles north of New York city. Reese was a third year geology student at SUNY New Paltz, Lara had graduated, and Cally had graduated Mount Holyoke College in western Massachusetts. Little did they know that they were in for a ride of their lives.
Not being strangers to each other, the trio first met in high school. The main genesis of this great experience was the need to refurnish their space and fill out the empty space in their siting room. They went out in a quest to find the most ideal piece of furniture for this, and before long they found something they could all agree on. It was a perfect couch. This was however not exactly what they were looking for, and thus they had doubts in mind.
Finding a couch at the Salvation Army secondhand store, the two roommates measured it and found it was perfect for them. It was also within the budget they had in mind but there was one problem. The addition of the couch would make their siting room become an eye sore. The couch was in the kindest way very ugly and gave out a strong unpleasant smell. It was a second hand couch, they shouldn't have had their hopes too high but this was was not impressive.
This was not the only shot coming of the couch. This particular couch was covered with oddly looking lumps that made it look even worse. The roommates however decided to over look everything and carry it home. The couch was horrible, but what did they want from a secondhand one? If only however they knew what else lay in store for them.
The couch fit into their room perfectly and they got it at a throw away price. This couch however was not the prettiest around. It was the worst they thought one could ever get, it was very drab and there is not enough words for how ugly it looked. It did not serve its main purpose too as it was very uncomfortable to sit on. However, at $20, there was not asking for much.
The worst downside of buying a used couch is the possibility of inheriting pests from the previous owner. One particular menace is the bed bug. They are hard to get rid on and will definitely have you questioning your choice for a secondhand. With that in mind, these roommates would discover the secret hiding inside their couch’s cushions was unlike anything they could have expected. They did not have high expectations, but nothing could prepare them for what they found.
Being the centerpiece of their siting room, the three roommates got used to the misgivings of the couch fast. On an ordinary night of April 2014, the three were siting around on their weird couch having a fun bonding experience as they watched a movie.
There was however not getting used to the couch and a month later, they had had enough and they decided to take it apart. They wanted to fix the strange lumps that made it impossible to sit. They were however on the verge of making the biggest discovery of their lives.
The trio decided to rearrange everything and for it to be efficient, they had to start with the arms. They were going to flatten all those strange lumps and repossess their couch. The big lump on the arm that made resting your head on it uncomfortable was the first to go.
They had some reasons for the lumps in mind, but what seemed to make the most sense was that it was a wad of stuffing or an unfinished upholstery. This was the task for Reese, and before he could cut the limp open,he found a zipper on the side of the arm. He opened it.
To the surprise of Reese, the zipper contained not what he expected. It was not an error of design or a lump that contained stuffing. The couch was about to yield the wildest secrets. The previous owner of the couch had evidently shoved an envelope of sorts inside of it. The envelope was surrounded by a wad of bubble wrap and this was meant to keep something in there safe. The view was not clear of the contents.
The first thought that came to his mind was that it was something fragile, like an artifact and was meant to be preserved. Another thought made him think it was something dangerous and bad. There was no guessing what it was and the only way to find out was tearing it up. The curios roommates came around the package and opened it. What was inside however was beyond their wildest dreams.
To their surprise, the bubble wrap was covering a huge stack of cash, and the exact amount was a mouth watering $4,000. This sent shock waves of excitement in Reese as it was the most money he had ever found in a couch. He was only used to the 50 cent coins and other loose change. This however was several thousand dollars, and it was impressive.
Finding even $5 in furniture is a cause for celebration as it is very rare, but finding such a huge sum of money just in the arm of the couch. This was to say the least unbelievable. The roommates had only just launched the first step in a incredible chain of events that started with finding the hidden stash in their furniture. They were just beginning.
Just from this lump, the roommates made their own conclusion of what was in the other numerous lumps. Their curiosity was beginning ti spin out of control and they decided to open them all, one after another. Sure enough, they found envelope after envelope, crammed into every possible nook and cranny of the couch. This was beyond amazing as their stash grew bigger and bigger.
It became apparent that those months of uncomfortable experiences, they were siting on a gold mine. It was a treasure beyond their wildest dreams. The envelopes contained even more cash, and this led them to ask very many questions. This discovery was amazing but still, questions did not go away.
After they had cleared every corner of the couch and taken out all the money, they lay it all on the bed. They looked at their newly found wealth and they were amazed. It was now time to find out how much it was. The bills were in $50 and $100, and the results made them shiver. It was unbelievabl!
After all the counting, they finally arrived at a final figure. Their homely and unassuming used couch had ended up containing $41,000 in cash! Their discovery made them scream so loud their neighbors became curious as to what they were doing. Their brains began to go wild with fantasy — but this was not even the best the couch had to offer.
The next few days comprised of the trio figuring what to do with their new found treasure. Everyone had their own desires, and what made most sense was splitting the money three ways and everyone doing what they wanted with their money.No one could believe what was unfolding in front of their eyes.
Everyone had their different needs, such as Reese who wanted to surprise his mother with a brand new car. She was struggling with an old one that gave her problems. As hard-working students and graduates, they also naturally wanted to pay back student loans, and set aside some funds to travel. It was supposed to be money for things that they would never have had at the moment. This was however before the couch pulled its final surprise.
Together with the thousands of dollars, the couch had another hidden clue. This final clue was about to change everything. Cally decided to do a final sweep of the couch on the places they had found the envelopes of cash. There as a final envelope that had not been discovered, and in it, there was another piece of paper.
She examined the paper closely, and discovered it was a deposit slip from a bank. They had not seen this detail in their excitement of finding the bundles of cash. The excitement had been too much and they haad overlooked this part of the couch. As it turned out, there was a name written on the deposit slip.
The initial plans of benefiting from the money were fast fading away and it was apparent. From that one relatively insignificant deposit slip, a new and far more complicated scenario had emerged. They now had a name to associate with the couch, and the owner of the money was still there.It was not a treasure as they knew.
This brought about a great quagmire. Should they investigate further to find out who this person was? Or should they just ignore it and keep the money? The owner of the couch could not know that these three were the new owners and were in possession of the money. The name on the bank slip made the three roommates know who it belonged to, and it was a great surprise to them.
Lara found herself in a moral dilemma that she was unable to get out of. What made most sense at the time was seeking a second opinion on the matter. Who was the best to give this advise than the woman who brought her up, her mother. Hoping for some helpful suggestions and direction, she asked for her mother’s opinion about what was the right course of action would be. What troubled her the most was whether the money had been gotten from illegal activities, or if the activities were genuine, they would be robbing someone of their hard earned cash.
Her mother however would only add on into the dilemma. She did not give her an exact answer and said she believed she had raised her with the moral compass to figure out what to do. She told her that if she felt the original owner of the cash from the used couch was not deserving of it, then it removed any obligation of returning the money. Lara was in an ever tighter spot. She no did not know what to do at all.
The decision was hard to come around to, but they decided to make an effort to reach out to the supposed owner. They got assistance from Reese's mother, who helped them find the address of the person on the phone book. Reese gathered courage and called her. When she answered, he proceeded to tell her that he had discovered something that might be hers. It was however just beginning to unravel.
The woman on the receiving end of the call asked in a surprised tone, " What?" Reese explained to her hat they had found in the couch and this was not short of surprising to her. She said she had a lot of money in the couch and really needed it. Reese was however not convinced about that, and ended the call with even more doubt in mind.
The whole situation created an uncertain experience, and from the call, matters got even thicker. The woman on the phone seemed rather short with Reese and not as appreciative as someone would be if you found $40, 000 that belonged to them. He was puzzled even more and the right thing to do seemed to elude them. The roommates however were still curious as to whether the woman might be the true owner of the money and did they really have an obligation to return the money. They had found it in the couch that they owned.
Even though the phone call was very unsettling, Reese and the woman decided to meet up and had agreed on a time and place to meet so that the money could be returned. This was a stranger, and for security reasons, they decided to go together. The unsettling questions continued to plague the roommates as they piled into the car and headed off to find her.
The meeting place was in Hudson valley, and this is where they were supposed to meet the alleged couch owner and deliver her money. The entire ride was however filled with uncertainty and doubt. It was a deep discussion between morals and ethics and the situation was fast making them feel uneasy and doubtful. What if they found out that the money was not obtained in a legal manner and whether the woman was actually a nice person.
Were they prepared to handle what was coming their way? Were they well prepared for an eventuality? These were the questions that flooded their mind the entire ride. They did not even know whether the woman they were about to hand over the money to was the actual owner. Was it too late to change these plans and going back with the money? They did not know.
The impact of the deed they were about to do was beyond what they could comprehend and as they approached the neighborhood of the woman, it was becoming apparent to the roommates. It was rustic, and the conditions around them looked rough to say the least. It looked like one of those rough neighbors they had never been to and only saw on TV.
Their first impression of the place the woman stayed was not particularly impressive. The place had definitely gone through tough times. Everywhere, they saw “Beware Of Dog” signs, and security cameras posted to protect the properties. This was not different for the place they had agreed to meet the woman. The house had a badly damaged porch and its paint was chipping out. They thought of turning back but they put on a strong face. They went ahead and knocked on the door.
The defining moment had finally arrived. This was the moment to find out whether they had been played. The front door opened with a slight crack and it revealed to them the sweetest thing they could have ever expected. They were greeted by the woman’s daughter and granddaughter, both of whose demeanor immediately told them they were dealing with kindhearted, well-intending people.
The women let them into the house and brought them to the person they were supposed to meet. It was their grandmother, the alleged owner of the couch and the huge stash of money. Their first meeting was not short of glorious. They showed her the bills of dollars and there was not stopping tears from running down her face. She asked them to sit so she could tell them what had exactly happened.
The students would later find out that their decision to reach out was the best they could have ever made and the money meant a lot more than they thought. It had great sentimental value and the roommates were only just beginning to understand. The tragic part of the woman's life also came up. The woman was a widow, and it had been years since she had lost her husband.
She told them about her husband's heart condition that caused his demise. She told them how he had created an elaborate plan for her and the children to survive in the event he died. He would give her money and ask her to store it away so that in the moment they have needs, they could use it. She knew the most secure place to store the money.
Whenever her husband gave her money, the woman would stash it in an envelope and put in in her couch. The money they had found was an impressive 30 years of savings! At the time, she was also sleeping on that uncomfortable couch that also served as her "bank". This however had a terrible effect on her health as it resulted in back problems. She needed surgery to correct its effects.
She was in the hospital for some time after the surgery and her daughter came in to help. She went to make the house more comfortable for her mother and in the process, she came across this old and worn out couch. She decided to get rid of the couch to create space for a bed, and having no knowledge on what was in the couch, she gave it away. Her mother had not told her what it held.
The fact that the couch had fallen into the hands of such good intentioned fellows like the roommates was a matter of chance and this had definitely worked very well for the family. The woman told the three students that she was convinced her husband was there in the room with them, watching down on them because she could not find any better explanation to hat was unfolding before their eyes.
She felt her husband's intervention into their lives to ensure that they got the best of everything and that their paths would cross with such good people. The woman was very grateful for their effort and even gave them a small token of appreciation.
The students had taken time off their schedules to ensure that the money from the couch fell into the right hands, those of its owner. They had no hidden motives that were sinister and this made the woman impressed. The woman rewarded the three students with a token of $1,000 out of the savings. She felt that they absolutely deserved the money, if not a lot more.
The plans to repay their loans and buy a car had hit a dead end. They were not going to take a vacation either that they so much wanted. This was however the least of their concern as they had gone through the greatest learning moment of their lives. Gone were any of the doubts that had plagued them since they had learned of her identity and they now understood what it meant to be kind and understanding, the biggest virtues they could have in a cold world.
The students were to say the least very proud of themselves for making the most appropriate choice. They were even more happy following the reward they had gotten from their great service. Parting with such a great amount of money is not easy, but the trio had no doubt in mind of the decision they had made. It was the best ever. Their moral compass was now better.
If the roommates had used the money for their own pleasure, it would have without doubt stuck into their conscience. They would always be wondering whether the money was meant for a sick person, or whether it was a college fund for another student. Once they had learned of the elderly woman’s identity, they felt that they had taken the only course of action that was right
Remember the movie night when the roommates found the huge treasure in their secondhand couch, their celebration did not go unnoticed by the neighbors. They thought the cheer was from winning the lottery and the people of the area were curious as to whether they were the new millionaires in town.
The news of the spread of the great deed of the New Paltz roommates spread around the neighborhood fast and everyone was impressed by them. This resulted in the the online student newspaper of the State University of New York at New Paltz’s journalism department, The Little Rebellion, to approach the trio for an interview. The story was just about to hit headlines and spread beyond the small town.
The student newspaper was the reason for the spread of the story. Being an online publication, the story was accessible to everyone. This led to the story getting picked by leading news stations and was soon the headlines from coast to coast. The act of kindness that Reese, Cally, and Lara had done for the elderly widow resonated with people the world over. It became a reference point for strong morality and care for fellow citizens.
The roommates and the family of the woman, now 91 years old, have remained in touch, and their bond has been further strengthened by this act of kindness. The whole improbable saga was quite possibly a once in a lifetime experience for all parties involved. This was however not the first instance of heart warming kindness that was documented by the news.
One other story similar to this happened in 2014. It was that of Dave of Freaktography who had gotten off work early on that day and thus decided to explore an abandoned house in the neighborhood. As soon as his friend told him about this house, and all the very special antique and historical items he could find there, Dave was very curious and about this, and he just had to satisfy his love for urban exploration photography.
As soon as he set his foot into the house, he noticed the old artifacts and the numerous possessions lying everywhere in the house. It seemed that someone had vandalized the house without care, and everything lay on the floor. Something was really strange about this place, but nothing could have prepared Dave for what he was about to find. It would be the biggest discovery in his life yet!
Dave found the best things a photographer with his interests could ever want. He found old photographs and clothes, and even dentures, which instantly brought some life into the abandoned place. This was proof that people with a great sense of taste in art had been staying in the house. By the looks of it, it seemed like the inhabitants of the house were forced to rush out for whatever reason and everything lay in a very bad state.
There was no shortage to the treasure Dave found. There were old TV sets, calendars, tea, cigars, tools, ointments, and even a bag of marbles that were common among children years ago. What caught his attention however was the discovery of Geography, grammar, and other notebooks that were placed on the table, and a pen was neatly next to them. An ash ray was next to them all. Before he could head into the kitchen however, Dave made an astonishing find.
Before walking into the kitchen to continue with his great discovery, he saw a piece of art that he did not expect. He noticed a bed and a mattress that were leaning against a wall. This was however not the best part about this, but rather the object that was sticking out.
He noticed numerous stashes of notes, all rolled up and put into the mattress. This shocked him greatly as he did not expect any of this. He knew he shouldn't leave the money there and go because someone else might come along and take this money. He ripped the mattress open and he found a huge pile of dollar bills. Dave did not know what to make of this discovery and even thought that someone was trying to set him up. This was however a vital part if history!
Dave removed the entire batch of dollars from the mattress and he was not about to leave before counting the money. The money was in Canadian currency and amounted to over $7,000. They were held together with an elastic tape and a list was there that detailed months and dates between the 1960s to the 70s on top of each batch.
Dave however was not going to let his morals become eroded and unlike any other person who would have taken the money and run, he knew he had to step up and be different. He was there to take only pictures and was not about to become a thief. But who did all this money belong to and why was it stashed in the mattress? He was about to find out this.
Dave left the house and called his friend who had told him about the site. He inquired on the details of the house and how he could track down the owners of the house. He set out to doing serious research on this property and a history of its previous owners. A number came up and this was the lead he most desperately needed.
When he called it up, a woman picked up, and it turned out to be the previous home owners’ granddaughter.Dave and his friends explained to her about how they had come across a stash of money and they worked a way on how to meet up and return the money. This was an act that touched the woman's heart in a special way, and no sooner had they handed the money over than she started to cry. This random act of kindness had overwhelmed her and brought back the memories of staying in the house. Dave recounted this to several news stations that came to capture his unique gesture. There was however one question that still lingered in his mind, "Why had the woman's grandparents hidden money in such a strange place to begin with?
Dave and his friend had a lovely chat with the woman after sharing pleasantries and they even posed for a picture together. They however did not want to seem very curious and come out as prying people who get their noses in other people's business. They shared kind words and each went on their way. It was a short meeting but one filled with utmost grace.
It later dawned on Dave that the grandparents had been saving the money there for several years. They were small business owners as they ran a fruit stand and this saving was from their hard work. Since this miraculous urban photography discovery, Dave has shared the story on his Facebook page and called the album, “House of Treasures.” He also shared this act of kindness on his website, Freaktography.
These are the random acts of kindness from strangers that make the world a hopeful place. These are definitely outstanding people.
Sources: NY Daily News, CBS