A man who led a modest life leaves $6 million donation to his community following his death
A 92-year-old Vermont man who sometimes held his coat together with safety pins and would be often seen foraging for firewood also had a secret talent for picking stocks. It’s a talent that has become public only after his death when he bequeathed a staggering $6 million dollars to his local library and hospital.
Ronald Read died last June but his donation of $4.8 million to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and $1.2 million to the town’s library have stunned the community of Brattleboro, Vermont.
Nobody suspected the former janitor and gas station attendant, who simply wore a flannel shirt and baseball cap, was a secret millionaire.
In fact, Mr Read was known for his frugality. He would never park his old Toyota Yaris in the centre of town to avoid paying the metre. One townswoman once knitted him a hat to help him through the winter because she thought he might not have the money.
The only indicator that appearances were not what they seem was that Mr Read’s newspaper of choice was the Wall Street Journal.
According to Laurie Rowell, the lawyer administering his estate, his fortune grew substantially because of his shrewd investments.
"He had two lifelong hobbies: investing and cutting wood," she said.
As for the citizens of Brattleboro?
“This bequest is incredible. It's transformative,” Brooks Memorial Library Executive Director Jerry Carbone said. “It's going to really provide for our future and relevance in the community and allow us to keep up with the times, and keep up with what this community needs to access quality library services.”
"It's pretty incredible. This is not something that happens on a regular basis," said the hospital's development director, Gina Pattison.
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