In Boise, Idaho, homeless siblings Liam (20) and Emma (15) stumbled upon a rusted storage unit at an auction. With only $32 between them, Liam nervously bid $10—and won Unit 317. Inside was junk: broken furniture, torn boxes, and a grimy mattress. They sorted for hours, keeping a few items to sell at a flea market.
Hidden at the back, behind the mattress, was a solid oak trunk with brass corners and a heavy lock, carved with the initials H.R. Using a screwdriver and a rock, Liam pried it open. Inside, wrapped in oilcloth, were yellowed stock certificates, a leather-bound journal, and a velvet pouch of gold coins—early-1900s St. Gaudens Double Eagles.
The journal revealed the trunk belonged to Henry Reed, a surveyor who had discovered a rich vein of silver and lead but died before claiming it. The siblings were now legally the owners of significant wealth.
They used the windfall to move into a modest apartment, give Emma stability, and create a micro-grant foundation to help others in need. The lighthouse snow globe Emma found that first day became a symbol of hope, and they returned to thank Chuck, the auctioneer who gave them their chance.
Unit 317 wasn’t just a storage unit—it was the doorway to their future.