‘A miracle’: Family gets lost gift money back

Published 8:38 pm Monday, December 7, 2009

Seven $100 bills, lost as a Greenwood family headed out for Christmas shopping last weekend, were returned in time to shop this weekend.

Louise Smith calls it a miracle that the money was returned to her daughter, Penny DeFreese, her husband and their two sons.

After discovering the loss, DeFreese wrote to the Commonwealth newspaper, asking whoever found the money to return it.

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Joyce White had found the money on the floor at McDonald’s during the Black Friday lunch rush — and checked the newspaper daily in hope of finding its owner.

White saw DeFreese’s letter in the paper Tuesday night. Wednesday morning, she and her husband brought over the money.

Smith offered a $100 reward. The Whites refused. White says it was a gift to be able to return it.