Detroit man showers streets with money in ‘final’ wish for community

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A Michigan man made one last incredible gesture to his community after his death — by making it rain cash from high in the sky.

Darrell “Plant” Thomas, 58, a car wash owner in East Detroit, died from Alzheimer’s disease last month and was laid to rest on June 27.

But similar to how his community made him feel, Thomas left his mark on it when during the funeral, a helicopter flew over the neighbourhood of Thomas’ business and dropped rose petals and money from above.

Traffic on all six lanes of Gratiot Ave. came to a stop as stunned drivers stopped their cars and rushed out to grab whatever falling cash they could, the Detroit News reported.

“Everybody got a little bit,” eyewitness Lisa Knife told the outlet, noting that she herself didn’t run toward the falling bills but instead stood back and took in the surreal scene.

She noted that while it was hectic, the incident remained peaceful.

“There was no fighting, none of that,” she added. “It was really beautiful.”

Footage shows the helicopter hovering in a bright blue sky as petals and bills flutter down, prompting a lot of scrambling on the ground and screams of joy from the unexpected windfall.

“Let me get out and get that money!” a child can be heard shouting.

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The generous farewell was organized by Thomas’ sons, who said it was their father’s dying wish to give back one last time by “showering the streets” with money.

His niece, Crystal Perry, took to Facebook to say her uncle had $5,000 released from the chopper.

“This was a final expression of love from him to the community because he was a giver,” Perry wrote of the business owner, adding that it “was simply a farewell tribute to an east-side legend.”