Chick-fil-A worker finds $10,000 in restaurant bathroom and gives shocking reason for his choice

A Chick-fil-A employee has gone viral after making an incredible decision when he stumbled across $10,000 during a routine shift.

Jayden Cintron, 18, was working on Good Friday morning at a restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina, when he discovered two white envelopes sitting next to the toilet.

One was labeled for First Citizens Bank and the other for Truist Bank, and inside, he found a total of $9,333 in cash.

But instead of keeping the money, Cintron chose to turn it in, later telling WITN: "My first thought was just like… okay, no, this isn’t happening. Something is wrong."

Cintron Shares Faith-Driven Decision

After taking a moment to process what he had found, Cintron brought the envelopes straight to the restaurant’s human resources department.

He later explained that his decision was rooted in his faith. "That’s not what Jesus would’ve done. That’s not what God would’ve wanted," he said, adding elsewhere: "I was in the right place at the right time, but more than that, my faith teaches me to do what’s right and to care for others."

"Knowing how devastating it would be to lose something like that, I just wanted to make sure it got back to its owner. I’m grateful I could help and I’m humbled by the response," he continued.

He also made it clear he had no interest in personal gain, saying: "I don't want anything out of this,” and adding: "I did this because that's what Jesus would do...Money is useless without character."

Worker Initially Refuses Reward

The owner of the money later came forward through the police to claim the cash and offered Cintron a $500 reward for his honesty. However, the teenager refused the offer.

After being encouraged multiple times to accept the money, he eventually agreed. His actions drew praise from both his employer and local authorities.

"True leadership, you know, true integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching," said John McPhaul. "Jay did that in this case, and he should be commended for it."

Kinston Chick-fil-A Owner-Operator John McPhaul told PEOPLE: "We’re grateful for Team Members like Jaydon who demonstrate integrity and a genuine care for others."

"Acts like this reflect the values our restaurants aim to uphold each day, and we’re proud to see that lived out here at Chick-fil-A Kinston," they added.

Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette echoed the sentiment, saying: "a lot of people will, unfortunately, take that money and run with it, but kudos to that employee at Chick-Fil-A, [he] definitely deserves a reward."

Featured image credit: Kevin Carter / Getty