Airport cleaner turns in lost $13k, rewarded for honesty

In December, cleaning service worker Patrick Morgan, 50, discovered an iPad — with $13,000 stuffed in its case — during his early shift at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.

He immediately turned it in.

"That's the kind of person I am, and that's the kind of person they expect of me at work," Morgan told the Miami Herald.

Minutes after he alerted authorities, the iPad's frantic owner returned to where he lost his case and thanked Morgan with a $60 reward.

The father of four divided his reward between a homeless woman named Laura who needed money for the bus and a co-worker who was struggling financially.

On Wednesday, the Broward County Aviation Department in Florida honoured Morgan in a recognition ceremony, presenting him with a gift and a plaque.

"We need more people like Patrick in this airport and in society nowadays," said deputy airport director Izzy Bonilla at the event.

[ More Good News: Boy lulls puppy to sleep with lullaby ]

At the ceremony, Morgan's employer, Sunshine Cleaning Systems, gave him the equivalent of a week of paid vacation: $625.

Morgan told NBC Miami that he'll keep the money this time.

"Patrick is such an outstanding and honest person," Larry Calufetti, president of Sunshine Cleaning Systems, said in a statement. "What he did speaks volumes about his personality."

"It’s just a good feeling to know that I returned it and that's the bottom line. I wasn't looking for anything," a tearful Morgan said after the ceremony.

And while the financial gift from his employer is heading to the bank, the generous man can't help but still put others first: He's going to buy Laura a bus pass.

"A couple of days ago she told me she needed another bus pass," he told the Miami Herald. "So I have to get one for her."