When our loved ones die, we’re often left to sort through piles and piles of their belongings. Some of the items we keep, some we sell, and others get donated to Goodwill or other local charities. The task can be hard, and sorting through all of the memories can be challenging.

When Ray Rhinehart, of Culver City, California, started sorting through his mother’s belongings he had no idea what he was going to do with everything. Millie had died in 2017 and her porcelain doll collection needed a new home.

He decided it would be best to donate her dolls to the Discovery Shop in Santa Monica. The shop is funded by the American Cancer Society and the proceeds from the store’s sales go toward cancer research.

When Rhinehart dropped off the boxes, he didn’t even think to look inside. Two months later, he received an unexpected phone call from someone at the shop. The caller explained that inside one of the boxes was an envelope with an unexpected surprise.

He says the caller said the envelope had a “lot of money” inside. Thinking that a “lot of money” can mean a lot of different things to different people, he expected to find $30 or $40 when he picked up the envelope. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Inside the envelope was a whopping $36,000. Rhinehart couldn’t believe that the staff at the store had contacted him. He was quick to express his gratitude at their honesty. He was also excited to find out that the dolls will be loved and cared for as they’ve been donated to an orphanage.

What an amazing story! Be sure to share this story with your family and friends. We all like to hear a story with a happy ending.