Most people opt to get used furniture because of the rock-bottom prices. However, keep in mind that you are always running the risk of paying for an object that will fall apart in no time at all. If not, perhaps there is a hidden design flaw that made the owners chuck it out in the first place. A triad of friends had been thinking about things like these when they bought a secondhand couch from a Salvation Army store. These three individuals living in New York had no idea that there was something unbelievable hiding inside the fabric of this furniture. They would discover something unbelievable concealed behind the fabric, something that made them question their morals…
They Got A Used Couch For A Steal But Soon Realized Why It Was So Uncomfortable
From High School Friends To Roommates
Reese Werkhoven, Lara Russo, and Cally Guasti were friends from school. These three young people shared an apartment unit located in New Paltz, New York, around 75 miles away from New York City. It was during this time in their lives that they made an astonishing discovery. At the time, Reese was a junior geology student at SUNY New Paltz, Cally was a Mount Holyoke College graduate, and Lara was also a fresh graduate. Their friendship dated back to their high school days. Now, young adults, they were in the middle of refurnishing the apartment, particularly the empty space they called their living room. On a furniture-hunting mission, the three went out and found just what they needed: a couch. There was just one problem in their way.
From High School Friends To Roommates
The Best Option They Had
The three young adults saw the secondhand couch at a Salvation Army store and thought it could work for their new place. Before they purchased it, they first measured it to see if it would fit inside their living room. It was in the right price range, though let’s just say that it did not exactly look attractive. Aside from its rather unfortunate appearance, it also came with an unpleasant and strange odor! No one in their right mind would call it beautiful. Now that we have that out of the way, it boasted of yet another unusual feature that they would have to work around. The couch was covered in all sorts of lumps! It is safe to say that they did not fall in love with it on first sight, but they decided to pay for it and bring it home since they could not afford anything else. At the time, they had no idea what they were bringing to their apartment.
The Best Option They Had
Newest Fixture In Their Place
It was the best deal they found, and it at least fit in the living room, though they would be the first people who would admit the couch is not exactly high-quality. Many people would consider it the worst couch in the world, unattractive and drab. Although it was not exactly comfortable, it only cost them $20. As we have mentioned earlier, there are certain risks to buying secondhand furniture. The worst-case scenarios often involve the discovery of pests, molds, and other things that could affect their health in a negative manner. They knew all these things and still took a chance on it. However, there was no way they were prepared to make the discovery of their lives inside its cushions.
Newest Fixture In Their Place
Adapting To Its Presence In The Living Room
It did not take Cally, Lara, and Reese a long time before they got used to the beat-up couch they had the privilege of calling their own. After all, it was now the centerpiece of their living room. A month after this, in April 2014, the roommates were chilling together on their misshapen couch, bonding as they watched a movie. They had a lot of time to adjust to it, but it was still not very comfortable. The whole time they were resting on it, they tried to get comfortable but simply could not. In the end, they decided the only thing left to do was take it apart. They had no idea what those lumps had in store for them.
Adapting To Its Presence In The Living Room
First Things First
The first thing they had to do was determine where to begin. Although there were lumps across the surface of the furniture, they decided it was necessary to begin with the arm if it was possible. After all, this was where a huge lump existed to make their lives miserable. There were many things that could have caused a lump of that size such as unfinished upholstery or some unfortunate wad of stuffing. When they started to examine it to see how to remove the object stuck there, Reese noticed that there was a zipper there! The only thing left to do was to open it up.
First Things First
A Package In Bubble Wrap
After probing around, they finally discovered the secret of the secondhand couch. Reese was surprised to learn that the lump was not the result of bad furniture design or unevenly placed couch stuffing. It seems like the previous owner actually shoved some sort of envelope inside the arm! It was covered in bubble wrap, which made it impossible to view the contents at the time. They were wondering if they stumbled upon a fragile artifact that was preserved and held intact by the bubble wrap. Of course, it was also possible for it to be something more dangerous or sinister than that. They had no explanation for it and knew there was only one way to figure it out. Full of curiosity and questions, they unwrapped this mysterious package. What they found inside made their jaws drop and their eyes pop.
A Package In Bubble Wrap
A Large Sum Of Money
To their utter surprise, the bubble wrapped envelope was concealing a large stack of cash. Overall, it amounted to a staggering $4,000! Reese went crazy with his excitement over the discovery. In the past, he would only get a couple of cents in loose change from couches. To say the least, it was a completely mind-blowing discovery that no one expected. In all honesty, he would have been happy with just $5 inside it, so you can imagine their reactions. It was already exciting to find such a massive amount of money in the arm, but what about the next thing they found inside? The cash was merely the first step in uncovering the hidden loot hiding their $20 couch.
A Large Sum Of Money
Literally Sitting On A Lot Of Cash
Since this was what they found in a single lump, they immediately began thinking about what else could be hiding in the expanse of the couch. They continued to investigate the piece of furniture by inspecting lumps and opening them up with as much care as possible. True enough, they discovered one envelope after another in every nook and cranny! How amazing is it that the three roommates have quite literally been sitting on a goldmine when they were resting uncomfortably on their secondhand couch? Their suffering was finally being rewarded. The envelopes all contained more wads of cash. Understandably, they had a lot of questions on their mind.
Literally Sitting On A Lot Of Cash
Impressive Amount Of Money
Cally, Lara, and Reese retrieved all the cash they discovered in the couch and put it on the bed. They began counting the $50 and $100 bills they found inside the envelopes they uncovered. When they finished going through the entire pile, they could not believe it. Your eyes will pop when you hear the amount of money they got from the couch. Who would have thought that the eyesore was actually hiding $41,000? They actually let out such loud screams that the other residents of the building could hear them. As you can imagine, the young adults let their imaginations run wild with possibilities. Unbeknownst to them, there was still something else the couch was concealing.
Impressive Amount Of Money
Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all
In the following days, the three roommates talked about what they were going to do with their unbelievable findings. In the beginning, they wanted to split it up evenly between them. Needless to say, they started imagining all the things they could do with the newfound fortune. We are sure it felt like a dream come true for the trio. Reese has expressed his desire to purchase a brand-new car as a surprise gift for his mom. He knew it would please her to have a replacement for her old one. The three also wanted to pay off their student loans and put aside money they can use to travel. However, things changed for them when they discovered something else inside the couch.
Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all
Something Important They Overlooked
Aside from the bundles upon bundles of cash, there was another important clue nestled inside the couch they did not notice immediately. It was something that would change all of the plans they had in mind. Luckily, Cally was thorough enough to conduct a second search through the envelopes they found. Out of the stack, she took note of a final envelope that carried yet another piece of paper. She examined it and saw a bank deposit slip. It seems like this was something the roommates all overlooked when they were in the flurry of excitement that came with the discovery. More importantly, the deposit slip actually had a name written on it.
Something Important They Overlooked
Changing Their Minds
At that moment, all their dreams of spending the money for their personal gain vanished. From that overlooked piece of paper, the three now had a more complicated situation ahead of them. The deposit slip had a name they could use to get in touch with the previous owner, so it changed the nature of things. There was a moral question that they needed to address. Should they look further into the person whose name was written on the slip? Do they simply ignore it and use the money? Whoever owned the couch likely had no idea these three young people were now in possession of the cash. However, it did not feel right for them to spend it now that they had a way to give it back.
Changing Their Minds
Mothers Always Know Best
Lara felt troubled by the dilemma the additional discovery brought them. She dialed her mom’s number to ask for some advice on what to do next. In the hopes of getting helpful insight and useful suggestions, she asked for mother what the right thing to do would be. For example, what if the money actually came from a terrible person? Or what if the stash turned out to be ill-gotten wealth? Her mother told her that she knew Lara had a fine moral compass. She also advised the young woman that if the owner of the money was not an upstanding person, it basically removed their obligation to return the money they found. Although it was enlightening, Lara must have felt even greater pressure.
Mothers Always Know Best
I Have Something Of Yours
After much deliberation, the three roommates arrived at the decision to reach out to the person. Reese’s mom assisted them by looking up the name of the woman in the phonebook. After getting off work, Reese contacted her. When someone picked up the phone, he informed her that he found something that was likely hers. At that, the person on the other end sharply replied, “What?” She sounded flabbergasted after he explained the hidden loot inside the couch, if a little curt. She admitted she had a large sum of money in the couch and was now in dire need of it. However, Reese felt uncomfortable by the end of the phone call.
I Have Something Of Yours
Setting Up An Appointment
There was a feeling of uncertainty looming over their situation. The woman he called sounded rather annoyed at Reese. Moreover, she also did not seem as appreciative as he would have thought someone in that position would be. The way their conversation turned out made him feel confused. The three now wondered if this woman deserved it. Was it still their responsibility to give the money back? Despite the rather awkward phone call, Reese and the woman arranged a time and place to meet up. Of course, they did this to return the money. However, there were still questions running through their mind as they hopped onto the car and went on their way to meet her.
Setting Up An Appointment
More Doubts And Worries
The three drove all the way up the Hudson Valley towards the address the supposed previous owner of their couch provided them. However, all of them remained full of doubt for the whole duration of the drive. They talked some more about ethics and morals since they still felt unsure and uneasy about the decision they made. What would happen if they learned that she was really a bad person? Were they equipped with fine-tuned comprehension skills that will help them figure out if the woman was honest and worthy of all the money? Could they simply decide then and there to keep the money for themselves and then return to their home? We would be thinking the same things if we were in their shoes.
More Doubts And Worries
Arriving At The Destination
The three were still coming to terms with the enormity of the good deed they were planning to do. This remained true even when they eventually arrived in the neighborhood the woman lived in. They saw that it was rather rustic and a little rough-looking, which is a generous description of the place. It was not especially welcoming as it was clearly a neighborhood that has seen better times in the past. Among other things, they observed plenty of signs reading “Beware of Dog” and security cameras all over the place. When they reached the address given to them, they were greeted by a dilapidated gray porch with flaking paint chips. They knocked and hoped for the best.
Arriving At The Destination
Meeting Each Other At Long Last
At long last, they have finally arrived at the moment of truth. They would either confirm their suspicions or experience relief. With a creak, the front door opened. They found the daughter and granddaughter of the woman on the phone, who appeared surprised to find kindhearted and well-intending young people at their doorsteps. The older woman ushered the three inside the house and took them to meet the matriarch of the family, the original owner of the couch that was now sitting in their New York apartment. After they introduced themselves and presented her the wads of bills, the woman burst into tears! Soo enough, she told the trio the backstory behind the money in the couch.
Meeting Each Other At Long Last
A Tragic But Heartwarming Tale
It was certainly a good thing the students made the decision to reach out and return the money. The money was important not only for its monetary value but for its sentimental value as well. The elderly woman was a widow who has lost her spouse many years ago. He suffered from a heart condition that eventually claimed his life. Before he met his demise, he gave her some money each week and asked her to keep it somewhere safe. He did this to ensure that she would be able to subsist on the money even when he was no longer around. That was when she came up with her genius hiding spot.
A Tragic But Heartwarming Tale
A Well-Meaning But Disastrous Surprise
This elderly woman had evidently compiled the money from her late husband and stored the envelopes full of cash inside the couch located in her television room. It was there for 30 years if you can believe it! More impressively, she slept on that uncomfortable couch for a while. However, things changed when she suffered back problems that led to surgery. While she was confined to the hospital for the operation, her daughter came by the apartment and changed things up to surprise her widowed mother. When she saw the misshapen old couch, the well-meaning daughter got rid of it and replaced it with a new bed. She would not have done the same thing if she had any idea what was hiding inside it.
A Well-Meaning But Disastrous Surprise
Like A Guardian Angel
The family must have thought they would never see the money again after that happened. By coincidence, the couch fell into the hands of the kind and goodhearted roommates who went out of their way to track her down after finding the deposit slip. The woman told them she believed her husband was present in the room and looking after them. She felt he intervened with the workings of the universe to ensure that the unfortunate turn of events would end well and her life savings would return to her in full. However, she was not going to let these young people return home emptyhanded. She wanted to give them something to show her gratitude for the efforts they made.
Like A Guardian Angel
Karma Will Always Come
The students headed all the way there to ensure that the money from the couch would go to the right person. They did not have ulterior motives when they did this. However, the elderly woman wanted to reward them for their efforts by handing them $1,000 from her savings. She did not doubt they deserved this amount. They might not be able to buy a car, go on vacation, or fully pay off their loans with this, but it was more than they bargained for when they bought the $20 couch. Moreover, the experience taught them an important lesson. They no longer had any doubts in their mind that they did the right thing. It even led them to a revelation!
Karma Will Always Come
Kindness Is A Very Powerful Thing
The three roommates did not only feel satisfied about doing the right thing, but they were also humbled by the experience and its emotional rewards. We doubt it was easy for them to say goodbye to the unexpected money that fell into their laps, but it was a good thing their moral compasses worked just fine. They eventually admitted that falling for the temptation and spending the money would have taken its toll on their conscience later on. After they learned about the backstory from the elderly woman, they felt confident that they took the right course of action. It did not take long before others heard of the story and their act of kindness gained the traction it deserved.
Kindness Is A Very Powerful Thing
Spreading Like Wildfire
As we have previously mentioned, their excitement did not go unnoticed on that fateful movie night. On the day they discovered the money hiding under the couch, the neighbors approached them and explained they heard all the loud and joyous screaming. They assumed they won the lottery jackpot, which is not all that far from the mark. News began to spread around the New Paltz area about their extraordinary discovery and unbelievable act of kindness. The Little Rebellion, an online student publication run by the journalism department at State University of New York at New Paltz, interviewed them about it. When the story was published, it caught the attention of many people.
Spreading Like Wildfire
Humility Despite All The Attention
The student newspaper helped the story gain more traction, and the story eventually made it to the headlines of national and international news. People from all over the world enjoyed hearing about the act of generosity Cally, Lara, and Reese did for the elderly woman. Among other things, the strange circumstance and their strong moral compass had a universal appeal. They have also kept in touch with the family who originally owned the couch. The three even planned to return to the house and eat dinner with them! We are sure that everyone in the story formed a special bond borne out of such unique circumstances. They are not the only ones with an experience like this one. There are many other acts of kindness that have piqued the interest of people worldwide.
Humility Despite All The Attention
An Afternoon Like No Other
Dave of Freaktography left work early on a fine afternoon in 2014 to do some exploration in an old abandoned house. He decided to embark on this adventure after a friend of his told him about the property and all the special antique and historical items that might be hiding inside. He felt the urge to check it out since it was his hobby to work on photography projects that revolved around urban exploration. The moment he set foot inside the decaying and dilapidated house, Dave immediately took notice of the old possessions and artifacts scattered across the rooms. It looked like someone simply threw the objects all over the place without any care or consideration whatsoever. There was something strange about the whole place, but Dave had no idea what else he would find in there.
An Afternoon Like No Other
A Blast From The Past
Dave could not believe what he was looking at. He saw old clothes, photographs, and even dentures. These artifacts all brought a little life in the depressing house. He liked them because they were proof that individuals lived in this place once upon a time. From the way things looked, the inhabitants must have been forced to leave in a rush for some reason. This would certainly account for the messiness of the rooms. Dave came across old calendars, cigars, ointments, tea, television sets, tools, and even marbles. However, what truly captured his interest were the geography, grammar, and similar school notebooks arranged neatly on the desk. After some exploring, he was about to head into the kitchen when he found something that demanded his attention.
A Blast From The Past
At The Corner Of His Eyes
He was about to go into the kitchen to document the mess and artifacts resting on the countertop, but he stopped in his tracks when he noticed the bed and mattress set against the wall. The mattress appeared ordinary enough, but what made him do a doubletake was the object sticking out of its corner. When he took a closer look, Dave realized many rolls of bills had been stashed in there! He froze, though he knew he could not afford to leave it there as he explored the rest of the house. Before he took more pictures, he ripped the hole further and retrieved all the money hiding inside. Could this be some sort of trap or did he just discover a forgotten thing of the past?
At The Corner Of His Eyes
Sticking To His Principles
After he retrieved the wads of money concealed by the mattress, he began to count all the bills he found inside. He discovered that the US and Canadian bills amounted to a grand total of nearly $7000! The wads of cash had been stacked together using elastic tape. Aside from that, each roll of bills was accompanied by a piece of paper that listed certain months and dates from the ‘60s to the ‘70s. There might have been people who would make a wild dash for the house after learning about the money, but Dave was a man with principles and a conscience. When it comes to urban exploration, the general rule is to “take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.” However, who exactly owned this huge sum of money and why did they choose to store it in the mattress?
Sticking To His Principles
There Was Still An Unsolved Mystery
After he left the house, he immediately contacted his friend and informed him about the discovery he made. Together, the pair took it upon themselves to track down the owner and find out how the money ended up there to start with. After looking up the house and its property history, they finally arrived at a phone number. When they dialed the digits, they heard a woman’s voice on the other end of the line. It belonged to none other than the granddaughter of the previous homeowner. They explained what they found inside and set a meeting to hand over the money. “We gave her the money, every penny…she started to cry – overwhelmed by this random act of kindness, and by the emotions she feels being back at this house,” Dave told different media outfits. Everyone, not only Dave and his pals, still wanted to know the answer to the mystery, however. Why did her grandparents stash all that money in such a strange location in the first place?
There Was Still An Unsolved Mystery
Finally Getting The Answer To His Question
Dave and his pal talked to the woman, exchanged several hugs, and took a picture together. Despite this, they did not feel comfortable asking her tons of investigative questions since they did not want to look like vultures. All they did was tell her some kind words and then went their own way. It was only later that Dave learned why and how the grandparents collected and then hidden so much money over the years. Apparently, they once had a fruit stand, and he assumed the money came from the business. After making the discovery through his urban photography adventures, he shared the intriguing tale on Facebook by uploading an album he titled “House of Treasures”. You will also find it on his website, Freaktography.
Finally Getting The Answer To His Question