Robbery victim, 85, gets free eye surgery and $500 from former thief

Last month, 85-year-old South Carolinian Ida Sue Collins was robbed on her doorstop. A man grabbed the purse from Collins' shoulder, stealing the $400 in cash Collins intended to put toward cataract surgery.

The sad story was featured on Live 5 News. Dr. Millin Budev of Carolina Cataract and Laser Center saw the footage and offered the woman free eye surgery.

"Ms. Collins seemed just like the nicest lady and to see what happened to her was such an unfortunate thing and we just wanted to help in any way we could, and cataract surgery is what we do," Budev told WCSC.

Budev is also providing Collins with the expensive medications that correspond with the treatment.

Watch an interview with grateful Collins here.

Budev wasn't the only good Samaritan to respond to the story. An anonymous donor sent the news studio a $500 cheque to give to Collins.

"He told us that years ago he stole a purse from a woman and never got the chance to apologize. When he heard about Collins' story, the man finally saw a chance at redemption and wrote a $500 check to her," wrote WCSC's Keke Collins.

Charleston police have since arrested two cousins for the robbery.

As for Collins, she's come through successful cataract surgery and put the surprise money donation toward other medical expenses.

"There's so many good things that's happened out of this that I never dreamed would happen and it makes a big difference," said Collins after receiving the $500 check.