Optis spoke to 13WHAM on the phone but declined an on-camera interview saying “It’s no big deal.”
White believes this only proves Optis is a man of good character.
“If that was me there and I looked at this bag, I think I would have turned it in,” says White, “But I don't know if I'm halfway as humble as this man. You know, somewhere along the line, I think we all look for recognition, but the humility he showed behind it was just as much as the honesty.”
For small businesses like White’s Farm Market, $8,000 is a lot of money.
“It's sizable,” says White. “It would take a big chunk out of our income.”
White says he’s grateful for Optis’ honesty.
“I just want to thank him,” he says. “What he did, I would love to see the rest of us doing. I think he made a statement for all of us… how we look at ourselves and what we should do in certain situations.”
