A GOOD Samaritan discovered a lump of cash in the Kroger parking lot and ended up with a new friend after returning it to its rightful owner. 

Lauren Gregory of Beverly Hills, California, said she could instantly tell someone would be missing the money when she saw it lying on the ground next to a car.

Lauren Gregory was dedicated to getting the cash back to its ownerCredit: WDIV

Gregory decided to hold onto the money so it didn’t get lost and left a note on the car she believed to be the owner saying to contact her to get it backCredit: WDIV

The Good  Samaritan was grateful to be able to keep the money safe and return it with no issuesCredit: WDIV

“As I’m getting out of the car I see money on the ground in the car in front of me, like it had fallen out,” Gregory told NBC affiliate WDIV.

“I just knew that it was a large sum of money.”

Gregory became dedicated to finding who the money belonged to and tried to locate them in the Kroger.

She had the grocery store call out for the owner to try and reach them but it was not successful.

“I tried to page the person a couple times,” Gregory added.

“No one came.”

Gregory decided to hold onto the money so it didn’t get lost and left a note on the car she believed to be the owner saying to contact her to get it back.

The owner of the cash, Maurice Hardwick, who is a Pastor at Believers Outreach Ministries, said he was freaking out when he noticed the money was gone.

Hardwick explained he drove straight to his mother’s house for a birthday dinner after the grocery store in a rush.

He said he saw the note but originally did not think anything of it.

“Get to the dinner, find out all my money is gone,” Hardwick told WDIV.

“I’m looking, I’m tearing my car up, my wife’s car.”

He eventually remembered the note and was filled with ease to find out the money was safe.

Hardwick explained he thought to himself, “I said, ‘Wait a minute. God show me this, show me this, and he said the note.'”

The Pastor was able to contact Gregory and get the money back.

It might be like a situation where we should have met. It was very meant to be, I feel like.

Lauren Gregory Of Beverly Hills, California

Hardwick said he had a large amount of cash on him to use for his mother’s birthday and car repairs.

Gregory was grateful to be able to keep the money safe and return it to Hardwick with no issues.

The two became friends after the encounter and felt they were meant to meet each other.

“It might be like a situation where we should have met,” Gregory explained.

“It was very meant to be, I feel like.”