Good deed comes full circle

Daniel Island News article connects boy who lost wallet with good Samaritan who found it

Daniel Island resident Devin Casper and his family weren’t sure if they would ever learn the identity of the good Samaritan who found Devin’s wallet outside the Daniel Island School last fall and turned it in. An article detailing Devin’s story appeared in The Daniel Island News in December.

Devin had lost the wallet on Election Day, while riding scooters around the school with his brother, Dylan. Both had earned $100 that day for a computer job and stashed the money into Devin’s wallet for safekeeping. An anonymous person turned the billfold in to the school — and a school staff member later provided it to Devin’s mother, Sheela, after it was reported missing on social media. All of the money was still inside. The boys used half of their earnings in the wallet to fund a “Bhandara” in India, where their grandfather lives. The philanthropic gathering helped provide food for those in need.

After The Daniel Island News article was published, the father of a young island resident got in touch with the paper.

“I was thrilled to read your recent article on the missing wallet that was found and returned — it was my daughter and I that found it!” wrote Zac Hart. “She attends kindergarten at DI School, and we found the wallet literally in the middle of the road on our daily walk to school. The amount of cash inside was shocking, especially considering that it belonged to someone too young to carry any kind of ID or license, but it made a good teaching moment for my daughter, Zoey.”

Zac asked to be connected with the Casper family, so he, his wife, Leslie, and Zoey could meet them — and so that Zoey could learn more about the “Bhandara” and how her good deed had far-reaching benefits. The families gathered in Smythe Park on a recent Sunday to get acquainted.

“Remember how surprised we were when we opened up that wallet and saw how much money was in there?” said Zac to Zoey, as the families sat together at a picnic table overlooking Smythe Lake. “We thought somebody must have worked really hard for this!”

“I’m just glad it made its way back to you,” Zac told Devin.

Sheela brought along some gifts from India for Zoey, including pictures of the temple in India where the Bhandara was held and a bright-colored shawl with large sequins.

“To have that honesty, and for Zoey to turn that money in to help my two boys, that means the world to me,” Sheela said.

Sheela also told the Harts that her father extended an invitation to come and visit him in India anytime.

“This isn’t just about finding the wallet, it’s about finding good people. He would be honored (to meet them).”

No doubt both families will remember the power of a good deed for a long time to come.

“We were amazed to learn that so much goodness and generosity had resulted from a small deed that we had forgotten about!” added Zac. “It’s a shining example of how small acts of kindness can sometimes have major impacts.”

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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