– Released as courtesy Sak Yiengjuntuek
A restauranteur who found $12,000 in cash got in touch with the rightful owner live on the news to explain he wanted to turn it over.
Sak Yiengjuntuek knew as soon as he saw the stack of $100 bills that they belonged to the man who sold him the restaurant that would become Lemongrass Pho & Thai Cuisine in Myrtle Beach.
At the time, Yiengjuntuek was getting rid of some old standing tool chests that the previous owner had left. They were squarely junk, in his mind, but with all such things it was difficult resisting the urge to open them up and have a peek inside.
That’s where he found a seemingly ordinary sunglasses case.
“I saw the sunglasses case and then, you know, of course, when you see something like that, you want to open and look,” he told TODAY, adding that as soon as he did, he saw it was full of money.
“I was so shocked,” Yiengjuntuek says. “I knew right then that it belonged to the previous owner.”
What happened next was beautiful in several ways. Realizing he needed to get the money back to the man as soon as possible, he called the number he had on file only to find it had been disconnected.
Yiengjuntuek was at a loss for what to do next. What may have happened is that he contacted local NBC affiliate WMBF and wanted to share his story so that the owner of the money might see it on television.
He was no where else but live on-the-air when suddenly he remembered he had another number for the previous owner saved under a different name, which he not only explained to the camera, but called right then and there.
The relief was palpable in Yiengjuntuek’s voice when he heard the man answer the phone.
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“I have some good news for you,” he said.
WLBT would eventually learn that the money’s owner was struggling was a significant health problem, another reason why the local Myrtle Beach community now lauds the Southeast Asian restauranteur wherever he goes.
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He hopes his action will inspire others.
“I just want to say: Do the right thing,” Yiengjuntuek told TODAY. “Don’t give up honesty.”
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