Vaughn’s plan was for her volunteer work at a nursing home to be short-term and a way to improve her college applications. She felt very close to the people who lived there and to the place itself after three years.
Vaughn was interested in Mrs. Coleman, one of the residents. The woman in her 90s said she knew Vaughn from when they were kids, which made people both confused and interested.
Some memories started to come back to Vaughn as he listened to Mrs. Coleman’s stories. As a child, she remembered going to Mrs. Coleman’s house, singing for her on her birthday, and playing with her grandson Soren.
The meeting really scared Vaughn. She felt seen and remembered for the first time. There were words from Mrs. Coleman that kept going through her mind: “You saved me in ways I don’t always understand.”
The next morning, Vaughn got a shocking message: $700,000 had been sent to her bank account. Mrs. Coleman wrote on the money, “Use this for your dreams, sweet girl.” “You deserve it.”
Mrs. Coleman fell into a coma before Vaughn could think about how kind this was. Vaughn ran to the hospital, where she had a lot of questions.
In the end, Mrs. Coleman died and gave Vaughn a gift that would change his life. Vaughn chose not to go to college and instead gave $50,000 to a nursing home. He will use the rest of the money to become a nurse.
Vaughn saw that Mrs. Coleman knew her better than she knew herself when she thought back. Their chance meeting gave them a sense of purpose and connection.
The story of Vaughn is a warning that life’s unexpected events can change people in big ways. Sometimes, a stranger can show us what we’re really like and what we can do.
Vaughn found her dream in the nursing home, not in the dorms at college. That’s where she felt at home and connected with other people. And Mrs. Coleman was the one who remembered her when she needed it the most.
