Panicked and confused, Vaughn wondered if it was a mistake. Who deposits that kind of money? Then, just as she was considering what to do, the nursing home called. Mrs. Coleman had fallen ill and slipped into a coma overnight. The staff handed Vaughn an envelope when she arrived—a note from Mrs. Coleman.
In shaky handwriting, it read: Use this for your dreams, sweet girl. You deserve it.
The money was from Mrs. Coleman. Vaughn was stunned. Here was a woman who, despite their brief connection, had remembered her enough to leave her a life-changing gift. With this money, Vaughn could finally go to university, achieve the goals she’d always dreamed of.
But instead, Vaughn found herself thinking more about Mrs. Coleman. Over the next few days, she visited the elderly woman in the hospital, sitting by her side, talking to her even though she was unresponsive. On the fifth day, Mrs. Coleman passed away, quietly, in the middle of the night.
Vaughn realized then that her path forward wasn’t as clear-cut as she once thought. Instead of applying to university, she decided to give back in a way that felt true to Mrs. Coleman’s generosity. Vaughn donated $50,000 to the nursing home, helping to fix its leaky roof and renovate rooms. She also donated to charities supporting orphans, wanting to make life better for others like her who had felt unseen.
With the rest of the money, Vaughn enrolled in nursing school. She knew now that her purpose was to work in the nursing home full-time, to help people like Mrs. Coleman, to be there for them when they needed it most.
Standing outside Mrs. Coleman’s old room, Vaughn smiled. Maybe this was the dream all along—a place where she could finally feel at home, where she was not just noticed, but remembered.
And in the end, maybe that was the greatest gift of all.
