Bay County Scanner Feed

(1/16/2020) - A major money find by a mid-Michigan man. Howard Kirby found more than $43,000 inside of a used couch he purchased, and returned it to the owner. The money belonged to the Newberry family of Owosso. They were called to the Habitat for Humanity Restore in town, when they got the news. Kirby returned $43,170 to the family. "I know how it is to lose something and never get it back," he said. He paid $70 for the an entire furniture set. When he got it home, he said it didn't feel right and his daugther in law agreed and checked it out. "She decided to check it out, she opens it out and pulls it out and she says dad money!" With thousands of dollars in cold hard cash in his hand, he started making a list of things he could do with the money. "Everything just ran through my mind: now i can pay off the house, I can get a roof on my house, and I can retiree real good and everything," he said. Kirby talked to a laywer, who said he could legally keep the money. However, he said in that moment he turned to his faith. "I'm a born again Christian, and what would Jesus do? Jesus would give it back to the rightful owner." He got in touch with the store, and they located the Newberry family. They donated the couch last month after their grandfather passed away. As tempting as it was to keep it, Howard says he knows returning the money to its rightful owners was the right thing to do. "I've heard about it happening before, and i always thought what would i do if i found that money? Now I know. Makes me feel good. I believe I'm doing the right thing."