Jaron Johnson may only be 8 years old, but he is already well on his way to being an upstanding citizen after his compassionate display of integrity last week.
The youngster was out running errands with his mom when he found a $100 bill in the parking lot of a Walmart in Pineville, Louisiana.
“He was a few steps behind me and said, ‘Mom, look what I have in my pocket,’ and he said, ‘Can we turn it in to Walmart and give it to the rightful owner?’” Jaron’s mom Jodie told Inside Edition.
Jodie was aware of how an employee could simply pocket the money for themselves, so she told Jaron that they would go home and work out how to return the money the following day.
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The next day, Jaron told his mom to call Walmart and ask if anyone had reported the missing money. Jodie then called the store and left her phone number with the clerk. She did not, however, mention exactly what the missing property was.
Later that same day, she received a call from the daughter of James Grice: an 86-year-old man who had lost the $100 while he was shopping.
Because the senior lives on a fixed income, he had been unable to buy his groceries without the money; so when he discovered that someone had kept his finances safe, he was overwhelmed with joy.
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Grice and James met each other a few days later so the youngster could give him the money. As a means of expressing his gratitude, Grice gave Jaron $20 and a permanent invitation to the fresh tomatoes in his vegetable garden – which also happen to be one of Jaron’s favorite snacks.
“Jaron’s got a big heart,” Ms. Johnson said. “He has a passion for others. He has always shown his integrity and heart for others.”
Pay It Forward: Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by Jodie Johnson
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That was a really smart way to work it out – I remember many years ago finding a purse containing a wad of cash – I did hand it in to the police station, but was a bit concerned even about doing that since even policemen are humans ! I never did hear of the result, but this way of dealing with it is a very good way ! May this young man always keep up his good ways !