In February, a group of college friends made a simple purchase: a secondhand couch from a Salvation Army store. Little did they know, that this humble piece of furniture would hold a life-changing secret. The friends, students at SUNY New Paltz and Mount Holyoke College, brought the couch back to their dorm room, where a post-movie discovery left them speechless.
After settling into their dorm one evening, the students noticed unusual crinkles in the built-in couch pillows. Curiosity got the best of them, and upon investigating, they found bubble wrap envelopes hidden inside. To their amazement, the envelopes contained a staggering $41,000 in cash. “We kept pulling out envelope after envelope,” Werkhoven, a geology major, shared. “We couldn’t believe it.”
As the students counted the money, thoughts of new cars and other dreams filled their heads. But their excitement turned into moral questioning when they noticed one envelope bore a woman’s name. Guasti, a Mount Holyoke College graduate, admitted, “The entitlement quickly faded. We didn’t earn that money.”
Determined to do the right thing, the students sought help from their parents. Their search led them to an elderly woman whose story added a poignant layer to their discovery. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that her late husband had hidden their savings in the couch for her security. After a recent surgery, her children unknowingly donated the couch while replacing it to accommodate her recovery needs.
The students returned the $41,000, earning the heartfelt gratitude of the woman and her family. “We almost didn’t pick that couch,“ Russo shared. “It smelled and looked ugly, but it was the only one that fit our dorm.“
The story concluded with a heartwarming dinner between the students and the woman’s family. As a token of appreciation, she gifted the friends $1,000 to share.
Reflecting on the experience, Werkhoven said, “Anyone can do good if they will themselves to it.” The students proved that even in moments of temptation, integrity prevails. While they left with less money than they found, they walked away with a story of honesty and kindness that would last a lifetime.
