A poor but honest California man did the honorable thing when he found a bag filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars because he wanted to make his family proud of him.

Joe Cornell, who told reporters he often has only $1 a day to spend on lunch, was volunteering at the Salvation Army when a bag filled with money flew off a Brinks security truck and landed on the street in front of him.

Rather than keep the money, Cornell says he turned it over to authorities because he wanted his grandkids to be proud of him.

"I thought 'What type of man do I want my grandkids to think I am?'," says Cornell, "I want them to think I'm a just man that does the right thing and I did the right thing."

According to KMPH:

When Cornell's wife found out what happened she burst into tears. She says that she's so proud of him for giving the money back, especially because they are so poor.

Cornell reportedly did not receive a reward for returning the cash.

UPDATE: Brinks reportedly gave Cornell a $5,000 reward and also plans to make a $5,000 donation to the Salvation Army in Cornell's name.

[image via AP]