‘That’s what he was taught’ - Father not surprised by son’s honesty after he returns wallet found with cash

When Livingston Grindley was asked about his son's demonstration of honesty that was highlighted in the latest edition of THE WEEKEND STAR, his response was simple. For the elder Grindley, the virtue of honesty being the best policy was a maxim he drilled into his boy while growing up.

"When he was growing up, that is exactly what he was taught. We always tell him that whenever he finds anything that isn't his, the wise thing is to hand it over, so really and truly this is consistent with what we teach him and his sister, Tashea," the father said.

THE WEEKEND STAR, last Friday, told the story of 23-year-old Jordan Grindley, who on Thursday returned a wallet with more than $50,000, after finding it in the middle of the road the previous day. Jordan said that he picked up the wallet, which belonged to Andrei Ottey, while he was walking with a friend to a bus stop in Manley Meadows, eastern Kingston, where he lives.

The former Kingston Technical High School student said that after opening the wallet, he saw not only the cash and identification cards for the owner, but also a 'to-do' list which suggested that the owner had great plans for the cash.

The list included the need to pay his car insurance and purchase baby formula.

"Mi start look in the wallet for a contact for the person, but never see anything except a number for the insurance company. I called both my mother and father to tell them about what happened. They both said I should return the wallet, but I was more worried that the owner might not get it," said Jordan, who wants to become a soldier.

He took the wallet to the Elleston Road Police Station, where a Constable Blackwood ensured that it was returned to the owner with everything in place.

"It turns out that the police officer was also a honest person and put out a lot of effort to get the owner," Jordan said.

The elder Grindley, who is a correctional officer, said that while others may have kept the cash for themselves, the manner in which his son was raised contributed to him turning it over.

"I am very proud of him," the father said, while adding that "I am not surprised by what he did".

His mother, Diane Hamilton, 52, said she was proud of her son, who earned a diploma in construction in 2018 when he studied at the HEART Academy in Rockfort, Kingston.

"Jordan has strong values and is a young Christian man, who was raised by his parents to always do what is good, this is the kind of example he ought to be setting. When he called me I immediately told him that he should return it to the police, but he was so concerned about whether the man would get back all the money in the wallet," she said.