Stranger donates $125,000 of his inheritance to his neighbors — it changed their lives forever

Family feuds over inheritance are not new, and often, we come across cases where siblings fight over their share after their parents’ passing. Many times, these disputes lead to irreversible consequences if not resolved early. However, a man defied the odds after he took his neighbors on board to decide how to spend his mother’s legacy funds. David Clarke, a researcher from Liverpool, UK, decided to give away his inheritance of £100,000 ($124,516) for a moral cause with the help of people around him, reported The Guardian. His extraordinary and rare decision was inspired by his mom’s strong “moral fabric,” which she passed on to her son.

It all started with Clarke writing to around 600 addresses in the L8 postcode locality, seeking the residents’ opinions about where the money should go. Out of all the neighbors that he reached out to, thirty-eight people responded with unique and creative ideas. It helped him to set up a committee comprising twelve of his neighbors. Thereafter, the nominated members of the group took a unanimous decision to donate the money to four charities. Before taking what was described as a “radical” move, Clarke alone could not decide the fate of the inheritance money for almost ten long years.

The researcher’s mother had passed away in a cycling accident, which left a deep scar on his life. “Her death was a devastating shock to me. She had a huge social conscience and was interested in the world and how it worked – a lot of my moral framework comes from her,” Clarke said, per the outlet. Furthermore, he firmly believed that his inherited wealth needed to be spent on a noble cause. “I don’t believe in holding on to inherited wealth, so I spent a long time thinking about what to do with the money,” he added. That’s why the decision-making panel held dedicated discussions on four separate occasions before finally donating £25,000 ($31,132) to each of the charities.

Notably, the organizations that received funds included Liverpool Kids Plant to Plate and Team Oasis. The latter operated in Liverpool’s poorest areas, providing free meals to families and children with special needs. Team Oasis’s founder and manager, Paul Nilson, lauded Clarke while referring to the donations as “such a blessing.” The charity’s director said, “It has been such a debilitating time for charities, with so many being forced to close.” Additionally, one of the beneficiaries of the money and a frequent visitor to Team Oasis, Gemma O’Brien, also appreciated the researcher’s efforts to improve her children’s lives.

“I could never get to places like that on my own with my kids,” the Liverpool woman told the outlet, adding that her three children felt better after spending time at the charity. Speaking about her eldest son with a severe brain injury who was diagnosed with autism, O’Brien remarked, “They’ve made adjustments for him from day one.” 

“He found his passion for music there: he’s self-taught on guitar and piano now. It’s one of the only places where I feel safe and not judged,” she acknowledged. Meanwhile, a chunk of the £25,000 ($31,132) donation was reportedly utilized to fund RV holidays in seaside towns like Blackpool, a traditional English family getaway that these families might never have experienced otherwise.