Woman loses wallet but finds an ‘angel’

Homeless and battling health problems, Ralph Sandaine could always use some extra cash.

But when he spotted a stray wallet downtown stuffed with credit cards and personal checks, Sandaine knew what he had to do: find its rightful owner.

“He restored my faith and trust in people,” said Spokane Fire Marshal Lisa Jones, the owner of the wallet. “To see such kindness was very inspiring.”

And it came at a time when Jones needed a reminder that there are still good people in the world.

When she asked Sandaine last week why he returned the wallet, he answered: “Have you seen the movie ‘Pay it Forward’? I’m paying it forward.”

The 41-year-old woman, who has a 6-month-old daughter and two teenage sons and has been struggling through a difficult divorce, told Sandaine: “You are my angel.”

Sandaine, 48, was modest about his actions.

“It’s no big deal,” he said to Jones during a visit Thursday in the parking lot where he’d found the wallet. “I just found your wallet and returned it to you.”

Sandaine said, for him, it’s basically all about karma, much like the television show, “My Name is Earl.” In that show, the main character is trying to right all the wrongs he’s committed in his life to turn his karma around.

Sandaine said he’s basically doing the same. He said a bout with alcoholism and a bad decision in his past led to his homelessness.

Sandaine found the wallet last week in the 1800 block of West Broadway, an area Spokane police call “the zone,” because of its high crime rate. Jones’ business card was inside the wallet, so Sandaine called her at work and left a message. But the fire marshal didn’t get the voicemail in time to connect with him that night. He called the next day and met her at a fire station near downtown.

When Sandaine returned Jones’ wallet, she commented about how meaningful it was for someone to show her kindness right now. He inquired about her troubles, and listened to her talk.

“Here’s this person who is homeless and desperate, and he’s reaching out to me,” Jones said, still touched by the man’s kindness.

Jones said she asked Sandaine what she could do for him, and he told her, “no, nothing.” She insisted he take a $50 reward.

Continuing Sandaine’s philosophy of paying it forward, he went to a downtown drive-in and used the money to buy several hamburgers. “Then I handed them out,” he said.

The Montana-born Sandaine also bought Jones a small gift and made her a card. The items were delivered to Jones’ office on Monday.

The light-tan mug has a picture of a fuzzy bunny hugging itself, over the caption “Jesus Loves You.”

When Jones opened the light green envelope, written in blue cursive was “Life ain’t always beautiful, but it’s a beautiful ride,” a lyric from a country song. It also said “thank you” and was signed by Sandaine and four of his friends in the homeless community.

Sandaine and Jones were reunited on Thursday. During a private moment, he told her “you touched my heart” by telling him about the problems in her life. When Jones started to cry, he brought one arm around her shoulders and comforted her.

Jones again offered to help Sandaine. The homeless man replied: “The help I ask for, I pray to God about.”