An internet campaign to raise money for a homeless man who returned a diamond engagement ring to a woman after it fell into his cup has so far raised over $175,000.

As of 1pm this afternoon, over 7,500 people have donated to a fund to reward Kansas resident Billy Ray Harris, with the ever-growing total now well over the equivalent of £100,000.

And the fund could still grow considerably, as there are 72 days to go before the 90-day appeal ends.

The campaign was set up by the fiancé of Sarah Darling, who accidentally dropped her engagement ring into Mr Harris’ cup while giving him spare change.

Mr Harris discovered the ring about an hour after Ms Darling gave him the money and, although he says he knew it was incredibly valuable, he decided to hold on to it, rather than cash it in.

“The ring was so big that I knew if it was real, it was expensive,” Mr Harris told local television station KCTV, before adding that he’d had a hunch the owner would return for it and so decided to keep it safe.

Mr Harris, who usually sleeps under a bridge, said that a distraught Ms Darling returned to him two days later after failing to find him the previous day.

He told KCTV: “She squatted down like you did right there and says ‘Do you remember me?’ And I was like ‘I don’t know, I see a lot of faces’. She says ‘I might have gave you something very valuable’. I said ‘Was it a ring?’ And she says ‘yeah’. And I said ‘Well I have it’

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/12/billy-ray-harris-homeless-man-family-diamond-ring_n_2856031.html

sureteeboy: Those are the kind of peeps we need in nigeria

sureteeboy: Those are the kind of peeps we need in nigeria

Popowaa: God bless will him but hope he wont be regretting it soon.

konn: if engagement ring cost this amount how much will the wedding ring be?

martin1772: Not in Nigeria, all he will get if its in nigeria is thank you.

ItsModella: I read the news some weeks back and I was so touched. So honest people still exist out there? Maybe I can renew my faith in humanity.