Stories like this are so rare it's no wonder when you hear of them they are hard to believe. Nevertheless, this one is true.
An auto mechanic living with his young family in Norfolk was struggling to make ends meet. He worked hard at his shop, and his wife was a teacher trying to finish more schooling for a higher degree. He was the sort who enjoyed tinkering; his honesty and affability attracted all kinds of interest from customers in the area who enjoyed collecting and discussing rare automobiles.
There was an elderly gentleman nearby who became a regular client. To the auto mechanic, it was a joy to be able to work on such fine car specimens - he took his skills very seriously in the repair arena and understood his customer's needs for attention to detail while working on his treasures.
This particular gentleman and the mechanic were not friends, necessarily; they merely shared their appreciation for beautiful antique automobiles. Over the years, as happens with long time customers, he became accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of his eccentric client and his attachments to his prized possessions.
Earlier this year, the gentleman passed away. The mechanic may not have ever known why he stopped coming by for an odd repair here or there. He may have wondered, but again, due to the limited nature of their interactions, he did not think to call and inquire about his comings and goings.
He found out what happened in the most incredible way.
A few months ago, he received a letter from the gentleman's trustee for his estate.
This odd Englishman had apparently left billions of pounds, (yes, billions) to his favorite mechanic after he died.
Can you imagine what it would be like to be minding your own business, living a normal life like most of us, saving up here and there when possible, thinking retirement was a luxury? Suddenly, out of the blue, you get a letter like this in the mail. Would you think it was a joke?
It was not a joke. There was never any indication that this customer was a multibillionaire; it never had any reason to come up. Sure, it takes some wealth to acquire a nice collection of antique cars, but so what? Some people with expensive hobbies live in shacks. Besides, it is quite un-English to discuss money at all if you have massive amounts of it. As far as the mechanic was concerned, the two of them shared the same hobby - fixing up and working on classic automobiles.
To the generous client, however, his relationship with his mechanic could have been the most important thing in his life. Maybe he had no one else to talk to. Maybe he had no other family. Or maybe he did, and they were somehow estranged. I don't know all the details. Maybe the mechanic was the one person who never treated him any differently other than someone he shared a common interest with. To the older gentleman with his fortune, perhaps that was a refreshing change. He must have known his gesture would have an astonishing impact on the young man and his family, yet felt no need to let them know about his intentions until after he had passed away.
That is selfless generosity.
What an incredible account. The mechanic was able to get out of debt, his wife was able to finish her schooling, and my friend was asked to oversee and manage the windfall. I imagine everyone involved will be able to retire someday.
This story gives a whole new twist on the kindness of strangers.
image courtesy of carandclassic.co.uk