Dee Harkrider was shopping at a Walmart in Forrest City, Arkansas, when she left her wallet in a shopping cart in the parking lot. Thankfully, the story took a heartwarming turn after that.
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Nineteen-year-old Delivontae Johnson pulled into the Walmart parking lot to replace a tire he had blown after hitting a pothole on his way to church a week earlier.
The teen said he was happy he ended up there when he did.
“I once heard in church from a pastor the devil will strike before God begins to bless,” Johnson said.
After parking in the pharmacy lot, the college student noticed someone left their wallet in a shopping cart.
“I wasn’t supposed to be parking in that spot but thank God I did,” Johnson told Fox 16. He opened the wallet and found it belonged to Harkrider, 61, who lives in Wynne.
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He contacted her friend Elaine to let her know that he found Harkrider’s wallet but didn’t know how to get in touch with her.
When he got in touch with Harkrider she told him that she was in Palestine about 20 miles away from Wynne.
“I live in Wynne, but I was in Palestine. So, that young man detoured and came to Palestine and brought me my wallet,” said Harkrider.
Harkrider said that she was overwhelmed with his kindness because he could have just let the store know about the wallet but he drove miles just to give it back to her in person.
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The two met up in a supermarket parking lot and they posed for a photo that Harkrider later posted on Facebook. She also gave him $20 as a reward for his good deed and for driving out to return her wallet.
Harkrider wanted people to know what the young man had done for her so she shared the story on Facebook.
“Thank you does not come even close to the gratitude I feel for this young man whom I met only today!” she wrote in her post.
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Harkrider thinks it was more than luck that occurred that day.
“A friend told me I was lucky. I told her no, God was watching out for me,” Harkrider wrote in the Facebook post. “Delivontae Johnson, I pray that God bless you beyond any measure! Now I have a new friend!”
Johnson’s mother was proud to hear about her son’s kindness.
“She said I did a good job. I’m glad she raised me to the man I am today,” he said.
And it didn’t end there. The pair have since remained friends.
Harkrider and Johnson now follow each other on Facebook and even realized that they have a mutual friend.
“You’re stuck with me now,” Harkrider joked.
A beautiful friendship bloomed out of an act of kindness.
