Applebee's employee returns $32K in cash left in booth

FRESNO, Calif. -- An Applebee's employee returned thousands of dollars in cash to a woman who accidentally left her husband's life savings in cash at an Applebee's.

Erica Gonzalez said she and her mother took the money to the bank to be put in a safety deposit box, but the bank told them they didn't have any.

So they left, ran some errands and finished with dinner. It wasn't until they got home that they realized they forgot the money in the booth.

“Our hearts dropped,” said Gonzalez told The Fresno Bee.

Thankfully an honest employee found the cash and turned the money into police, The Fresno Bee reported.

Gonzalez said the money was saved to the help her become a registered nurse.

Applebee's said the employee who found the money does not want to be identified. Carrie Hellyer, an area director for Applebee’s, said the server said “he just wanted to do the right thing,” The Fresno Bee reported.