Some stories are not just worth sharing, they’re worth repeating over and over again. The reason we repeat such stories is to let people know, that at least, there are still people out there who are concerned about humanity. This story is one example of these people.
The story began in 1921, when a man named Ronald Read was born in the small Vermont town of Dummerston, in the United States. Born into a less-privileged family, Read grew up the hard way – life was not always easy. It is said Read was the first in his family to have completed a high school education.
After high school, Read enlisted as a serviceman during World War II, serving as a military policeman. After the war, he was honorably discharged.
Returning to Vermont to live the rest of his life, he moved from Dummerston to Brattleboro. There, he worked at a gas station owned by his brother. During this time, Mr Read started living a very low and careful life. He was extremely careful on consumer goods, especially the luxury ones, like cars. Those around him started calling him names; some said he was stingy, while others said he was being economical, only because he was so poor.
Working at his brother’s gas station for 25 years, Read retired. However, he decided to go back to work, but not at his brother’s gas station. He secured new employment at a local JCPenney, as a janitor.
During this time, Read owned a secondhand Toyota Yaris, with only one coat held together by safety pins.
Unknown to the people around, including his family, as Read lived his low lifestyle, he was also busy investing all his earnings. He had bought up to 95 stocks in big companies such as Dow Chemical, General Electric, JP Morgan Chase, and CVS Health. Favoring paper and ink rather than modern phone apps, Read had kept stacks of his investment certificates locked in a safety deposit box for decades. It was secret. No family member knew about it.
However, after Read (92) had passed away following a decline in health, in 2014, Read’s family discover his investments.
After Read’s death, his attorney appeared before his family, telling them about the investments. Read’s total investment had reached $8 million. The documents presented to the family revealed he had bequeathed $1.2 million of his savings to the Brooks Memorial Public Library in Brattleboro, where he used to spend his free time reading and learning.
He also donated $4.8 million to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, where it is said he used to have an English muffin with peanut butter and coffee, every morning.
When officials of the library and the hospital heard about the donation made by Read, they said they were going to use part of the money to undertake renovations on their aged buildings. They will invest the remaining to help the needy in society.
For the family of Read, it was the most shocking moment of their lives. They never imagined that somebody they thought was stingy and poor could save up to that amount and donate all, after he had departed.
Read’s stepson, Phillip Brown was quoted by the Palm Beach Post as saying: “I was tremendously surprised. He was a hard worker, but I don’t think anybody had an idea that he was a multimillionaire.”
Once seen as poor and stingy, Read has become a Vermont hero in his death. Local state media has extensively covered his story since it was made public. Read is now recognized across the United States, and even outside the country.
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His heir still got more than they deserved.