Boy finds, returns wallet packed with $500-plus

**Buttercup** · 01-29-09, 06:18 PM

Brooklyn PS student turns in wallet packed with $500-plus

BY RACHEL MONAHAN
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Monday, January 26th 2009, 10:19 PM

DeCrescenzo/News Kemoy Gourzang, shown here with his mom, Avlyn Jones.

Meet the most honest little kid in New York City: Brooklyn's own Kemoy Gourzang.
The fifth-grader was walking through East Flatbush on the way to school Friday morning when he found a brown leather wallet on the sidewalk.

It was stuffed. There was at least $500 cash in there.

Kemoy knew what to do. He made a beeline for the school principal's office and turned in his newfound treasure.
"Five kids told me, 'You should have kept it,'" said Kemoy, who is 10.
"I said, 'No, because if it was yours, you would have wanted it back.'"
Joy-Ann Morgan, principal of Public School 198 in East Flatbush, fished a business card out of the wallet and called the owner, who hadn't even noticed the loss yet.

The wallet's owner, who didn't want to be identified, rushed to the school to claim his dough and meet the boy who got it back to him.
"He told me I was a kind person," Kemoy recounted. "He told me it was honest to bring the wallet to school."
Then he gave Kemoy $100 to say thanks.

The boy confessed he had been hoping for some reward, but was surprised it was so generous.
"I was pretty excited," he said. "I went straight to Toys 'R' Us."
Kemoy spent half the reward money on a video racing game called Midnight Club 3 and a starter kit for a Nintendo Wii.

At school, the proud principal decided to make an example of Kemoy.
"This is what we try to teach," she said. "I got on the PA and announced that we had a hero in school."
She snapped some pictures of the boy and intends to put them on the bulletin board outside the office to honor him.
She's going to move down some pictures of President Obama so Kemoy can have the best spot on the board.

Mom Avolyn Jones, 40, who works in payroll at the health care union 1199 SEIU, said she was pretty happy with her kid, too.
"I'm proud. I always told him, 'Honesty is the best policy,'" she said.
The wallet's owner should be grateful, she said.
"I'm glad Kemoy found it because maybe if someone else found it, it would not be returned," she said.
"There are not a lot of honest people in these times."

So what about the remaining 50 bucks?
"I'll probably save it for Valentine's Day," the boy said.
"I'm going to buy a Teddy bear with angel wings, milk chocolate and maybe a necklace.
"For my mom."

**BigDawg** · 01-29-09, 06:31 PM

Good for him, hats off to you son, and your parents for their proper upbringing of you!!!!!!

**Wolven** · 01-29-09, 06:35 PM

Super to see a nice, honest kid. Bravo!

**Retdetsgt** · 01-29-09, 06:35 PM

It's neat those kinds of stories get published. Just about the time you think everyone's a dirtbag, some kid does something like this. Gives ya at least a little hope for the future.

**lewisipso** · 01-29-09, 06:51 PM

Somebody reserve a badge for that kid.

**Jenna** · 01-29-09, 08:05 PM

What a great kid!

**IndianaFuzz** · 01-30-09, 04:03 AM

How refreshing! This story is one that needs to be repeated....not just to give this honest kid credit, but to be an example to other youth on how to be. I don't think kids get enough messages like this.