Old Lady Opens Stash With $2,960 Prepared as Inheritance for Grandson, Finds 20 Times More Inside – Story of the Day

When a grandma opened a secret box stashed with $2,960 to gift her grandson, she was startled to find $60,000 in it. She recalled her late mom telling her several years ago that the box was magical, but she knew little about the price she'd have to pay to keep the surprise jackpot.

They say sweet surprises come in small packages. For Lakewood granny Patricia Richardson, it happened to be so true.

After her husband Edward died 11 years ago, Patricia lived alone in her compact yet cozy house. She never complained about anything and always wanted to be the best grandma to her only grandson, Dylan.

One day, when she decided to gift him her secret savings, Patricia was startled to find 20 times more in the little cash box she'd hidden from everyone. She had no idea where the money came from and believed it was magic. But little did she know what she would have to pay in exchange for the unexpected fortune...

When Patricia was little, her mother Anna gave her a little jewelry box to keep safely for generations to come. Curious, Patricia often asked her mom what was so special about the box. Once, Anna told her that the box was extraordinary and magical, which Patricia believed.

"What happened, granny? What's wrong? You said you only had $2,960. But it looks like the money has mysteriously multiplied. How is that possible?" exclaimed her grandson.

For decades, Patricia preserved the box and never took it out or showed anyone. Although her belief in magic and the supernatural faded as she aged, she secretly saved money in that box. She dreamed of opening this box one day and finding twice more than she'd saved. However, she brushed it off as a silly imagination and laughed at such an impossibility.

For the past five years, Patricia saved a part of the daily earnings she got from selling her garden-grown veggies and fruits in that box. She kept it a secret because she wanted to gift her grandson an inheritance on his 27th birthday and was preparing for the surprise.

Even at 82, Patricia always felt young and energetic whenever she visited Dylan. The 26-year-old followed in his dad, Carl's footsteps, and worked with him in a local law firm. Together, they made a decent chunk of money and lived in a nice, big house, two streets away from Patricia's home.

Although Carl and Dylan asked Patricia to move in with them, she refused. "You know this house reminds me of your grandpa. I just don't want to move out of here until I find my dream house in the woods," she often said, turning down their offer.

If that weren't enough, Patricia never accepted gifts from her son or his family. She was stubborn and would often turn them down, saying she was supposed to do something for her grandson, not the other way around.

Whenever she visited her son and grandson in their law office, she would always bring their favorite cakes and schnitzels. Sometimes, she would get small gifts for Dylan, like a new fountain pen, wallet, or even brooches.

Although Dylan didn't want anything material from his granny, he accepted her gifts to keep her heart happy. Saying no to her would mean breaking her heart, which Dylan didn't want to do. He loved his grandma and was surprised that she never expected her son or family to support her even at her age.

One day, Patricia didn't show up at the office. Dylan and his dad were surprised and anxious because she never missed visiting them every Tuesday. Something didn't add up, and as Dylan took his phone to call his grandma, his mother, Edith, walked in with a piece of news for him.

"Mom?!" he exclaimed. "I thought you were grandma from your shadow."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your granny won't be visiting you today," Edith said. "Didn't she tell you anything?"

"Really? No, she hasn't told me anything. And why isn't she coming today? She never misses her Tuesday visits."

Edith was a bit astonished. "She called me a while ago," she said. "Soon, your grandma will invite you to her house. She said she wants to leave you an inheritance on your 27th birthday next week."

"An inheritance?" Dylan exclaimed. It was an incredible piece of news for him, and he couldn't wait to see what it was.

That day, Dylan and his dad visited Patricia to find out more about the legacy she'd planned to give him. But she never answered any of their questions. Instead, she just smiled and asked them to come back the following Tuesday to witness it for themselves.

A week later, Dylan and his dad visited Patricia. She asked her grandson to follow her to her bedroom and he impatiently watched as she took a jewelry box from a secret hollow space behind a lifesize painting in her room.

"This, my love, is for you," Patricia said. "It has $2,960. Use it wisely." But when she opened the box, the granny was stunned to find wads of cash bundles, 20 times the money she had saved.

"What? How did this get here?" she exclaimed in shock.

"What happened, granny? What's wrong? You said you only had $2,960. But it looks like the money has mysteriously multiplied. How is that possible?" Dylan asked her.

"My mom told me this box was magical," she exclaimed. "I think she was right. This box multiplies whatever you put in it."

Dylan could no longer hold back his surprise and laughter. He hugged his granny and revealed something she didn't expect.

"That magic is standing right in front of you!" Dylan revealed. "Actually, dad and I wanted to surprise you with money to build your dream cabin near the woods. You always wanted to live near the forest amidst nature and birds."

As it turned out, Patricia's family knew about her secret savings and the mysterious jewelry box she hid behind the painting. They just pretended they didn't know to see what she was going to do with that money. When she disclosed it would be her grandson's inheritance, Dylan and his dad had secretly stashed around $57K in the box during their last visit.

"You always dreamed of living near the forest with the birds and animals. And we want to make your dream come true, grandma!" Dylan said. "Please accept this gift from us for what you have done for us."

Patricia was moved to tears hearing this. What she witnessed that day was indeed magical. "But I want to take care of you, my dear. If I move, I won't be able to visit you often...The woods are quite far from your office," she cried. That's when Dylan offered her a little deal in exchange for the money.

"You accept this money and move into that cabin. I promise to visit you every day. But only if you stop being stubborn and live there!"

Patricia was at a loss for words. She was overwhelmed and agreed. "But only if you accept my $2,960!" she said, extending the box of cash. Dylan happily took the inheritance she'd saved for him. Together, they refurbished a beautiful cabin near the woods, and Patricia eventually moved in there.

She loved the early waking of the birds and the breezy atmosphere. Every evening, her little cabin smelled of fresh bakes and schnitzels. And after sunset, it would echo a happy old lady's laughter to her beloved grandson's jokes!

What can we learn from this story?

• As adults, it is our responsibility to care for our elders. Even in her 80s, Patricia wanted to care for her grandson. She was stubborn to accept any help from her family. However, her son and grandson were aware of their duties and made sure she was well cared for.
• Love and respect your elders because you would never be here without them. Although Carl and Dylan were successful and wealthy, they always wanted to help Patricia. They even invited her to move in with them, but she refused. Nonetheless, they teamed up and gifted her 20 times the inheritance she wanted to give Dylan to help her build her dream cabin in the woods.

An old man gave a boy an old scooter, the only fond memory he had of his son. A few years later, the lad knocked on the man's door with a surprise that moved him to tears. Click here to read the full story.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.