Brighten Your Day

Caught On Camera: Postal Worker’s Honest Act Inspires A Neighborhood

April 29, 2025

Today's good news story comes from St. Claire Shores, Michigan.

A Michigan postal worker’s simple act of honesty—returning a lost $10 bill with a note—sparked a wave of kindness throughout the neighborhood.

Credit: Sara Haiduc / Facebook

Josh O’Hara, who has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for nearly a decade, was on his regular delivery route near Madison Street last Thursday when he spotted the cash lying in a homeowner’s driveway. He immediately picked it up, suspecting it had fallen from someone’s pocket.

“The way it was positioned, it looked like it fell out of their pocket while getting into the car," O’Hara said.

He rang the doorbell to return the money, but when no one answered, he left a handwritten note along with the bill to ensure it wouldn’t be overlooked.

That homeowner, Sara Haiduc, came home after work to find the surprise. The note and returned cash made her day—and she couldn’t wait to share the kind gesture with her neighbors.

“Honestly, I was just like, that is the sweetest thing," Haiduc said. "Instead of just pocketing it, he left it for me.”

Although it was “just $10,” Haiduc said the kindness behind it meant far more. And for O’Hara, that’s exactly the point.

"If you can make somebody smile or you can help somebody in any way, even be a support to be there for them, do it," he said. "You got a neighbor who’s grieving? Drop off leftover food or tell them you’re here. Or buy the food for somebody in a restaurant next to you or compliment your cashier. You make one person smile, then that spreads to another and then it’s a ripple effect at that point.”

Inspired by O’Hara’s good deed, Haiduc now plans to pay it forward—and she says her neighbors are on board too.

“(The money) just magically ended up in my driveway and he happened to find it and he did his good deed by giving it to me,” she said. “So that’s why I feel like I need to do a good deed with it.”

A small act of honesty, a ripple of kindness—proof that even a lost $10 bill can make a big difference.