Man finds $43,000 in secondhand couch - returns it to previous owner

I'm going to start by saying I wouldn't have done the same thing...

A man from Michigan has revealed that after discovering $43,000 in cash stuffed into his secondhand couch, he felt morally obligated to make sure the money was returned to the original owner, NBC News reports.

Howard Kirby has bought the piece of furniture from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Owosso (roughly 90 miles northwest of Detroit) for a respectable $70. Kirby had planned to use the sofa for his "man cave", but after finding the ottoman that came with the couch rather uncomfortable, he decided to open it up and have a look inside.

This is the heartwarming moment Kirby returned the money to the original owners:

Speaking to local news outlet MLive.com, Kirby explained how "the foot cushion always seemed kind of hard".

Kirby's daughter-in-law then opened up the cushion, and - to everyone's surprise - started pulling out handfuls of cash. In total, there was $43,170 in cash stuffed into the ottoman cushion.

Like many of us, I'm sure, Kirby revealed that his initial reaction was to keep the money for himself. Per WEAU, Kirby said his "mind started to race" with all the possibilities. He said:

"Everything just ran through my mind: Now I can pay off the house, I can get a roof on my house, and I can retire real good and everything."

Kirby contacted his lawyer, who informed him that he had the legal right to hold onto the cash. However, it was Kirby's faith and morality that changed his mind, saying:

"The Holy Spirit just came over me and said, 'No, that's really not yours' [...] What would Jesus do? Jesus would give it back to the rightful owner."

Related - This family was selling an old baseball bat for $1 at a garage sale, until somebody told them its true value:

Kirby then got in touch with the thrift store and explained the situation, and they were able to track down the person who had donated the furniture, a woman named Kim Fauth-Newberry. The store's manager then arranged a meeting between the two families so that Kirby could return the huge amount of money.

Newberry told local news stations that the ottoman had belonged to her grandfather, but she donated furniture after he passed away last month. The family also said they have no idea why he was stuffing couch cushions with money.

After returning the money, Kirby has explained that he knows he has done the right thing:

"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."

In a statement, Habitat for Humanity spokesperson Bryan Thomas said Kirby was a "Habitat hero", adding:

"People find treasures in Habitat ReStores every day, but this is next level. We’re inspired by Mr. Kirby, who showed true Habitat spirit by putting others before himself and returning the money."