LAFAYETTE, La. — A simple act of kindness from a Lafayette mechanic has reminded one Acadiana woman that her late grandmother's lessons about human goodness still ring true.
Laken Disotell spent Saturday afternoon with her children at Sky Zone, but what should have been a fun family outing nearly turned into a stressful situation when she accidentally left her wallet on the roof of her car.
"We were leaving and I had my wallet in my hand and I placed my wallet on top of my car and in my head I said don't forget to grab it. That didn't work well. I just drove off," Disotell said.
Her wallet stayed on the roof as she drove down Ambassador Caffery Parkway, eventually falling off more than a mile away from the trampoline park.
"I told my husband 'We are not going to find, it are we?' And he said 'Stay positive,'" Disotell said.
The next day, Disotell turned to social media, posting a plea for anyone who might spot her missing wallet.
"So I made my post," she said.
Shortly after, she received a message that brought her to tears.
"I get a notification that someone is trying to send me a message request. I opened it and I just saw the picture of my wallet and before I can even read the message I just cried," Disotell said.
Chase Wilson, a local mechanic, had taken time out of his day to search for the missing wallet after seeing Disotell's social media post.
"I was like, alright I'm going to look for it. I got to the red light at Ambassador and Johnston and I just so happen to look out the window and there the wallet was," Wilson said.
While the wallet contained debit cards and her driver's license, something else inside mattered far more to Disotell. She had kept a letter from her late grandmother in the wallet, looking at it whenever she needed comfort. Unfortunately, the letter didn't survive the ordeal due to the rain.
"The note was a no go. When I opened the zipper the letter was gone and you can see little pieces of the paper," Disotell said.
Despite losing the physical letter, Wilson's act of kindness helped Disotell feel connected to her grandmother's memory and the values she instilled.
"Mr. Chase proved her point. And if she would be here she would say, 'See, I told you. I told you to have faith. See, I told you there's kindness always,'" Disotell said.
For Wilson, returning the wallet was simply the right thing to do.
"I mean, if it would happen to me, I would like someone to do the same," Wilson said.
As the year draws to a close, Wilson hopes his actions inspire others to help their community.
"Keep doing the next right thing. That's really it," Wilson said.
Disotell tells KATC that this experience has reinforced her belief in human kindness.
"I just want to say like always have faith. Never give up on hope of the kindness that can be bestowed upon you from others," she said.
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