* This Man’s Mission To Find A Stolen Wallet Changed This Boy’s Life Forever
Weird Things Happen
It’s not every day that someone goes above and beyond to help a complete stranger, let alone two. However, one incredible man has done just that. Jimmy Gilleece, a bar owner in North Carolina, is used to strange events. “Weird things always happen,” he said while laughing. From drunk antics to just hanging out, the bar sees a variety of people come and go, all to Jimmy’s amusement. But one incident would change his life forever. 
Since 1975
Jimmy’s At Red Dogs has been a legendary surf and skate hangout for Wrightsville Beach since 1975. The bar has a range of visitors from locals to tourists who come for a range of purposes. Whatever reason, whether dancing, pounding fishbowls, seeing a band, or just hanging with friends analyzing surf flicks, this bar is highly rated. Known as the hangout for Wrightsville Beach, there are many events going on each night. The friendly atmosphere and pleasant staff are what makes this place so appealing.
Kruiser The Bruiser
If you are ever in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, make sure to also stop by to meet the bar’s most lovable mascot, Kruiser. This cute dog is Jimmy’s At Red Dogs’ best attraction and the pet of bar owner, Jimmy Gilleece. The bar hosts a range of local and regional bands and musicians, which also makes it a great attraction. People come from near and far to listen to bands whether small or upcoming and splashing their cash on refreshing soft or alcoholic drinks.
The Right Way To Wrightsville
Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Known for its premier water sports, Wrightsville Beach is an ideal place for those seeking activities such as surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking. It’s also perfect for leisure travelers happy to cast a line from Johnnie Mercer’s Pier or visit the local Museum of History. With both adventure and relaxation, Wrightsville Beach has become an annual destination for many families. For those seeking a refreshing or alcoholic drink, Red Dogs is the perfect spot.
Holidays From Hell
While on vacation in North Carolina, one lady from New Mexico was making the most of her time going to the beach, drinking sangrias, and taking long beach walks with her partner. Unbeknown to the woman, after stopping off one night at Red Dogs, she accidentally left her wallet on a bench near the bar. It was not until she headed home that she realized she did not have all her belongings. But her wallet was not all she had misplaced.
Panic Message
While stocking up the bar for the day, Jimmy did not expect the call he was about to receive. The New Mexico visitor rang up Jimmy to report a stolen wallet. “She was frantic, really upset about it, so it just became my mission,” Jimmy said. Jimmy was determined to help the customer. She was due to fly home the next day and was not so much concerned about the money, but rather the additional, and very expensive, object inside the wallet.
The Hidden Gem
Stolen items at a bar are rarely recovered. With the continuous stream of people passing in and out, and the tendency to misplace things after a night out, the chances of finding lost or stolen items after a night on the town are slim. However, when it was revealed that buried inside her wallet was a $10,000 wedding ring, Gilleece could sense her concern and was determined to help the stranger. Unsure whether the wallet and ring had been lost or stolen, he began searching the bar.
Surveillance Savior
Jimmy continued his mission to find her ring by scanning through a vast amount of security footage. He watched three hours worth, from 16 different cameras, until he finally found her wallet on a bench outside the bar. Galleece watched the woman’s purse but never saw a wallet fall out. “It ended up being on the bench outside and blending into the bench so I couldn’t see it,” Galleece said. “The last thing I thought of was just to watch the bench for like five minutes to see if anybody comes past it and picks it up.”
Lost Or Stolen?
Jimmy continued to watch for those five minutes and noticed a shady character approaching. The cameras captured a young man in a hoody suspiciously sit on the bench next to the wallet, making sure nobody was watching. Jimmy observed as the young boy stuffed the wallet in his pocket and walked off. The staff was able to then come to the conclusion this customer’s wallet has been stolen. But could they get it back? And would there still be a $10,000 item amongst the leather?
Social Media Saves The Day
The lady who lost the wallet decided to press charges against the teen. Meanwhile, Jimmy and his team of bartenders took to Facebook to try and identify the boy with the hood. It was not long until they received a response. The boy was named Rivers Prather, and was identified by his sister who contacted Jimmy and said, “That’s my brother, what did he do?” Jimmy agreed that if her brother contacted him, he could help “make this right.” Almost immediately after, Rivers calls him up and confessed.
Nothing But The Truth
The teenager promised to Jimmy that he had only taken the money inside,“I saw the wallet. I took the money out,” he said. The moment he realized a ring was inside he panicked and threw the wallet with the ring into the ocean. Galleece found it difficult to believe the young man, “I asked him straight up, was the ring in the wallet when you threw it, tell me the truth, because no other person would do that. He said ‘I promise it is,’” Galleece said.
A Strange Thief
It was a mystery to Jimmy and others why the young man would take some cash and then dispose of the wallet without stealing the most expensive item in it. Had the boy thrown it in the water? “When I found out there was a wedding ring in there I wanted to get it back to the person, ’cause a wedding ring is a special thing that really no one should have to worry about losing,” Prather said.
Destroying The Evidence
At the time, the boy believed the ring was fake and was worried that he could get caught by fingerprints on the wallet, so he decided to throw it in the channel. Despite finding out the ring was real and wanting to return it, Prathers made no effort to return it. Wrightsville Beach police said felony charges could have been levied. However, he qualified for the diversion program, offering him an opportunity to avoid any charges on his permanent record.
A Diamond In The Ocean
Still holding on to some skepticism, Galleece told the teen to meet him at the docks at noon the next day. He had hired divers to try and find the wallet and irreplaceable ring. “After I invested all that time, I’m gonna find the ring,” Jimmy said. “So I hired divers to come out the next day.” Meanwhile, a part of Jimmy hoped to keep the 17-year-old from living the rest of his life with a felony conviction.
Innocent Until Proven Guilty
Rivers Prather threw a rock towards the same area as the wallet to help the divers. While the divers searched the area, Jimmy talked to the young boy to try and get to the bottom of his actions. As he discovered why the boy stole the wallet and his reasoning for leaving the ring, he became determined to keep him out of jail. Jimmy watched the divers with anticipation, hoping the boy was telling the truth and praying for that ring.
Holding On To Hope
Whatever the boy had told the bar owner, it clearly had an impact. “It looks like he might end up getting arrested and we’re all pretty stressed out because at this point we like the kid and we don’t think he deserves to be pushed through the system like that,” Galleece said. The divers came up empty-handed, but Galleece begged them to look one more time. But what had made the boy so appealing to Jimmy? Why did he want to help a thief?
Boy Turned Man
With the missing wallet reported to the Wrightsville Beach Police Department, detectives were at the dock to question the boy, who was facing a potential felony for grand larceny if the divers were not successful. With time running out, the divers eventually surfaced with the ring found to still be inside. “The ring was in the wallet, everything he told us was 100 percent truth from the get go, this boy stepped up like a man,” Jimmy said. Galleece called the owner who dropped all charges against the 17-year-old.
The Chat
Despite handing the wallet and ring back to the owner, the story was not over. Why had Jimmy taken a liking to this thief that had caused him much grief? Why did he want to help him? Whilst anticipatingly waiting for the two divers to surface with the prized possession, Jimmy and the young teen got chatting. Jimmy found out that Rivers was not a bad kid after all and the wallet was a necessity to keep him alive.
The Discovery
As Jimmy questioned Rivers, he discovered that he took the wallet to buy a sandwich. He revealed that he had not eaten in two days and needed some cash. Jimmy also gained knowledge that Prathers had been sleeping in the woods behind Wrightsville Beach Park while it was just 30 degrees out, shivering to stay alive. Gilleece said, “I could tell he wasn’t a criminal. He was just somebody who needed a little help.”
Making A Life
Rivers Prather had left his family home, estranged from his mother. After living in Wilmington for about a year, he left his local relatives’ house due to conflict with members of the household. As a result, he had been living in a tent in the woods. Despite another relative in Tennessee having full custody, Rivers was trying to make a life in Wilmington, “It’s my favorite place in the world, I plan to live here for the rest of my life,” he said.
One Man’s Big Heart
Jimmy Gilleece had rescued a lady’s stolen wallet and returned it to her with her $10,000 wedding band. However, he did not stop there. Gilleece then took it upon himself to help the boy that had caused the drama in the first place. After getting to know the boy some more, Jimmy invited Rivers to stay at his house with his fiance and children. He has also assisted Rivers in obtaining not only one, but two, jobs, providing him with a second chance in life.
Count Your Lucky Stars
Instead of being handed over to the police, Prather was taken into the Gilleece household. “I couldn’t have been luckier,” Prather said. “Most other people would have just gave the footage to police, and he chose to help me. He’s made me part of his family.” The teenager now has a roof over his head and food on the table. “I say thank you to him every day,” Prather said. “I’d do anything for him.”
What Next?
Rivers will be staying with the Gilleece family until they find him a permanent home. The boy’s life has been transformed and he has said he will never steal anything ever again. It is not every day that someone goes the extra mile for a stranger, let alone a marathon. Jimmy Gillece has proved that he is one of those extraordinary people. His compassion for others shone through and he has changed the lives of not only a lady from New Mexico, but also a young boy in desperate need.
Building New Lives Everywhere
The heartfelt story of Jimmy Gilleeces kindness went viral, and others have shared their own stories of compassion. Ginger Sprouse, a mother from Texas, could not help wonder why Victor Hubbard would stand on the street corner rain or shine. She came to discover that he was homeless and battling with mental illness. For three years, Victor would stand there waiting for his mom to get him. Sprouse felt sorry for the man and decided to make a Facebook group to share his story with the world.
A Happy Ending
Slowly but surely, Ginger’s Facebook page started to take off. She cooked meals, washed clothes, helped him set up appointments with a mental health professional and welcomed him into her home. Many saw the page and offered to help the man too. Within two months, Hubbard received more than $14,700 in donations. Hubbard now works as a cook in Sprouse’s kitchen. He was also able to connect with an uncle from east Texas and even reunite with his mom. Speaking of reuniting, there is one more part of Rivers’s story…
Family Reuinion
Once the story of what happened in Wrightsville Beach went viral, allowing a particular member of River’s family to reach out. Rivers’s father, Rich, got in touch with his son. He was eternally grateful for Jimmy’s kindness and delighted that his son has a new chance in life. “I’m grateful for the opportunities in store for my son and I’m forever grateful for Jimmy, his family, and the community at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina that have embraced Rivers.”
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