Assistant football coach Bobby Hosea didn’t realize that the red envelope that had been in his pocket was gone until he had driven home last Thursday night.
He checked around the house. He looked to see if it fell out in his car. The red envelope, which had been full of cash, was gone. It was likely lost somewhere on the San Bernardino Valley College campus. Most likely somewhere in the Kinesiology & Athletics Complex, where members of the football team had gathered earlier in the day.
But that Thursday, members of the SBVC track and field team were gathered in the large lecture hall located in Gym 141. Among the student-athletes there was SBVC student Jesus Moreno — a runner and friend of many of the student-athletes on the squad. And while not officially a member of the team at the time (he is considering joining the team), he spends his free time working out with the team before he has to go to work.
He found the red envelope. And without hesitation, he brought it to the attention of the athletic department’s eligibility clerk, Maureen Ryan. She alerted the athletics staff and turned the envelope in to the campus police department.
So, by the time Hosea had realized his money was missing and contacted head coach Daniel Algattas to ask about the envelope, there was good news. His envelope was safe.
Hosea got his chance to thank Moreno on Tuesday this week. He expressed his gratitude to the young runner, while the athletics department presented Moreno with gift cards and team gear as a token of appreciation.
While Moreno was slightly embarrassed by the attention, he knew he had done the right thing.
“I just knew I had to turn it in,” he said.
