Centennial woman finds blank check, returns it to owner, but gets it back with an uplifting note

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- She found a blank check in a parking lot, sent it back to the woman who lost it and then received a touching gift in return.

Jessica Weidknecht was walking to her car when she found the check.

"Yes, a blank check,” Weidknecht said. “It had a picture of Mickey Mouse on it, so it got my attention. I picked it up, realized it wasn't written out to anybody, but it was signed."

Weidknecht then did what only came natural.

"It was kind of a no brainer,” she said. “Shellee's address was on it. I mean, that's what you do. You send it back."

On the receiving end was Shellee Lawson.

“And I see this envelope, hand written to me and I open it thinking -- What is this?" Lawson said.

The check was meant for Shellee's hairdresser, but somehow got dropped.

"I knew who the check was to, because it's the same amount,” Lawson said. “It's been that way for 10 years."

Floored by the fact that she got it back, Lawson googled the name of the woman who returned it, Weidknecht. And what Lawson found was this was Weidknecht’s web page on the Susan G. Komen site. Weidknecht’s story on the website was about her battle with breast cancer.

"My father and I were diagnosed with cancer within a couple weeks of each other," Weidknecht said. "I went through a double mastectomy," she said.

Her battle sounded all too familiar to Lawson, and too close to home.

"My aunt Donna died from breast cancer,” Lawson said.

That’s when Lawson got on the phone. "I contacted my hairdresser and she said, 'Shellee, let's give (the check) to her.'"

Lawson sent the check back to Weidknecht -- along with a note:

Dear Jessica:

We want to thank you for returning my check. We both decided that you should spend this on something for yourself. Googled your name to fill in the check. We ran across the journey you are going through. You deserve something fabulous! You are not allowed to spend this on your family or kids. We are moms! You must treat yourself to something to keep your spirits high. You will beat it. Thank you for being so wonderful to return the check! Best wishes, through your journey!

“Obviously, I couldn’t believe it... that someone would do that for me,” Weidknecht said.

Weidknecht has decided to donate the check to a foundation called Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which has helped her through so much.

"I caught it very early, thankfully," Weidknecht said.

A new friendship has now unfolded. The two both got each other necklaces as gifts.

"She looks amazing,” said Lawson. “She does not look like she's been through the struggles that she has."

It was a blank check that certainly got around in a common race for a cure.