Paris, France—When a homeless man handed over a wallet he found stuffed with 2,000 euros in cash, Dutch hearts melted like Edam cheese on toast.
Hadjer Al-Ali, a father of two, was picking up plastic bottles in Amsterdam to make a few cents when he found the money. Officials rewarded him with a “silver thumb” good citizen award and a voucher worth 50 euros.
But the Dutch public was so taken with “Honest Hadjer” that 34,000 euros was raised for him in a single day on a funding site.
The 33-year-old said the money will change his life, allowing him to rent a home. He has even been offered jobs.
“I want to thank everyone so, so, so much… I can’t describe how I’m feeling… I’ve been inundated by people saying the sweetest, nicest things,” Hadjer said in a video post on Instagram.
The good news may not end there. If no one claims the wallet within a year, he will also get the 2,000 euros.