Chick-fil-A Employee Finds Cash, Chooses Honesty
A Chick-fil-A worker, Jadon Cintron, shared his story with WITN-TV about an unexpected discovery during a break on Good Friday. He found two envelopes in the men’s restroom of the Kinston, North Carolina restaurant, which is located about 90 minutes southeast of Raleigh.
Upon seeing the envelopes next to the toilet, Cintron’s immediate reaction was, “okay, no, that’s not happening — something isn’t right here.” It was clear that something had gone wrong for the person who had lost the envelopes.
Finding the Cash
One envelope was from First Citizens Bank, containing $5,000, while the other was from Truist Bank, holding $4,333. Instead of keeping the money for himself, Cintron took the envelopes to the human resources department, thinking it was the right thing to do.
When asked by a reporter why he didn’t keep the cash, the 18-year-old said, “That’s not what Jesus would do. That’s not what God wanted.”
Principles of Honesty
Cintron emphasized his belief that “money is useless without character.” He acknowledged that many people might have taken the money and run, but he wanted to highlight the integrity of Chick-fil-A employees. Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette commended Cintron, suggesting he deserved some recognition for his actions.
John McPaul, the owner of the Kinston Chick-fil-A, echoed those sentiments, stating that true leadership is about doing the right thing when no one is watching. He praised Cintron for embodying those principles.
Although the restaurant attempted to review security footage to identify the owner of the money, it wasn’t successful. However, on Monday morning, the rightful owner came forward to claim $9,333.
A Reward for Integrity
After the owner of the money approached him, Cintron was offered a $500 reward for his honesty. At first, he declined, insisting he didn’t expect anything in return. “I don’t want anything from this,” he told the station, adding that he acted according to his faith.
Eventually, after multiple refusals, he accepted the reward. Many viewers felt he deserved the recognition for his selflessness.
