THIS is the moment a dead man’s life savings are dropped from a helicopter as strangers rush to grab handfuls of the money.
The extraordinary scene saw $5,000 worth of cash fall from the sky over mourners saying their final goodbyes to carwash owner Darrell Thomas.
The footage captures the surreal scene as the aircraft flies over the funeral ceremony, where Darell, originally from East Detroit, was buried after passing away from Alzheimer’s at the age of 58.
Known for his generosity, Darrell’s final wish was to literally shower his guests in cash as they made their final goodbyes.
The helicopter is seen releasing plumes of notes and rose petals over a crowd of bemused funeral guests.
Hundreds of notes are seen floating in the air before ceremoniously falling to the ground.
Shocked onlookers can be seen gazing up at the sky, as others scramble to get their hands on some of the money.
“Let me get out and get that money,” a child is heard shouting off-camera, while others are heard laughing and cheering.
The ceremony was held near Gratiot Avenue and Connor Street, East Detroit, where Darell’s business, Airport Express Lube and Service, is located.
Traffic came to a standstill as stunned drivers stopped their cars to get their hands on some of the showering money.
While police officers were informed about the petal drop, they said they were unaware cash would also be dropped.
Darell’s son Smoke told local news it was his father’s dying wish to give back to his community by “showering the streets” with money.
A total of $5,000 was dropped, as confirmed by Darell’s niece, Crystal Perry, with Smoke adding some of his own funds to the gesture in memory of his deceased father.
Smoke told locals news: “Detroit, y’all might not know who my father was, but he was a great father.
“Among his community he was a legend, and he blessed everyone – and that was his last blessing to everyone. That’s all it was.”
Lisa Knife, an employee at the car wash, said “everybody got a little bit” of the money,
“There was no fighting, none of that. It was really beautiful,” she added.
Last year, wedding guests were treated to a similar spectacle when a groom’s father showered a wedding party with cash from a private plane.
Viral footage showed a light aircraft circling over the party whilst Pakistani music sounds below.
Plumes of paper fluttered from the plane and down through the sky.
Guests could be seen gazing and pointing into the sky in disbelief as the notes floated to the ground.
The money fell around the large party, with guests sitting at tables and milling around a courtyard.
The father from Hyderabad, located in the southern Sindh province of Pakistan, rented the plane for the extravagant act in his enthusiasm over his son’s wedding.
