Struggling single mother discovers $150 cash and a touching note left for her in a car she purchased

Struggling single mother discovers $150 cash and a touching note written by a stranger after she bought a new car

  • Jen Willis, 48, from Daylesford, bought a second hand Subaru Outback Thursday 
  • She had recently separated from her husband and urgently needed a new car
  • During the purchase she told the owner she was going through a tough time 
  • Driving away from the sale, she put down the sun visor and an envelope dropped
  • The owners left a note and $150 telling her to spoil the family amid the hardship

A mother going through a hard time found $150 and a touching note left for her inside a car she bought from an older couple.

Jen Willis, 48, from Daylesford, Victoria, recently separated from her husband and urgently needed to purchase a new family vehicle.

After finding an ad online last week for a Suburu Outback, she called the owner but was told it had already been inspected by someone else.  

Desperate to quickly secure the car, she offered to put down a deposit straight away and explained she was experiencing tough personal circumstances

Jen Willis (pictured) found $150 in cash and a touching note left for her inside a second-hand car she bought on Thursday

‘We had been married for 22 years, my husband had just flown back to the US where he is from, and I was left alone with my two sons and one had been really sick,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

‘I live with Multiple Sclerosis and work full-time and shared with the owner that the whole situation was overwhelming.’

The couple accepted her offer and she met with the man on Thursday to finalise the deal.

But as she drove off, the mother-of-three pulled down the sun visor and an envelope fell into her lap. Inside there were three $50 notes.

‘I thought he had accidentally left it in there and was about to call him to come back, then I read what was written on it. 

‘This is a random act of kindness,’ it read.

‘Please use to spoil your family in a way that makes you happy.’

The owner added that he felt in his heart that he wanted to help her during a ‘challenging time’. 

The previous car owners said they felt in their heart that they wanted to help Ms Willis amid her hardships

The previous car owners said they felt in their heart that they wanted to help Ms Willis amid her hardships

‘It brought me to tears instantly, I was incredibly touched. The situation symbolised more than just getting a new car, and I felt like he saw that,’ she said.

‘It was someone really looking out for us in a challenging situation that we were in and thinking about what they could do to help.’

‘The gesture was very thoughtful. Spoiling yourself isn’t really something people do in times like this.’ 

Ms Willis shared the story in a post on the Kindness Pandemic’s Facebook page, where is has since racked up more than 9500 reactions and almost 300 comments.

‘What a beautiful act of kindness. Enjoy your new car,’ one person wrote.

Another added: ‘Restores your faith in humanity. Lovely.’

Ms Willis said the family had already decided how to spend the gift.  

‘Me and the boys have picked one of the restaurants in town and will go and treat ourselves now that we are living on just mummy’s income.’ 

Ms Willis has recently become a single parent to her two youngest children, Tyler (pictured), 12, and Flynn, 15, after separating with her husband. She will spend the money taking her sons out for dinner

Ms Willis has recently become a single parent to her two youngest children, Tyler (pictured), 12, and Flynn, 15, after separating with her husband. She will spend the money taking her sons out for dinner

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk