Online Campaign Nets Homeless Man $100K for Returning Lost Ring
A homeless man has received more than $100,000 — and counting — from an online funding campaign after he returned an engagement ring mistakenly given to him.
Billy Ray Harris, of Kansas City, Mo., discovered the ring among loose change in his collection cup last week. The owner, Sarah Darling, didn't realize it was missing until the next day. She had temporarily removed the ring and placed it in her purse, which she reached into to grab change for Harris, she said.
When Darling went back to the same spot the next morning, she found that Harris had been waiting for her return — with the ring in hand.
"I ... feel like I'm especially lucky to have this ring now. I loved it before. I loved it so much, but I love it so much more now," Darling told CNN. "I feel like it has such great karma."
To show their appreciation, Darling and her husband, Bill Krejci, set up a 90-day Giveforward fundraiser for Harris. The original goal was $1,000, but after just over a week, it's been met by more than 4,000 donations
from across the world.
Several of the donors have left messages on the site congratulating Harris for his honesty and kindness.
Josh Silver, who donated $10, said, "Great job Billy!!! You are an angel!” Another family donated $100 with the message, "We hope it brings a change you like!"
"We talked about a lot of things related to my family's ring and the many donations. We talked about one day in the future the ring may ... be passed down to my daughter. We talked about how insanely positive all this has been. We talked about what he's planning to do with the donations. The details would be better left for later but know that he has a very solid plan and a very solid way of making it happen"Krejci added the Harris has found a basement apartment to stay in, where he'll be "safe and sound for a while." At time of writing, $112,330 has been raised, with 82 days left to donate.
