A Long Island Railroad (LIRR) conductor was honored Friday for his good deeds, specifically turning in $107,000 in missing jewelry that he found on a train.
The jewelry tray included engagement rings, some with diamonds embedded inside them. A jeweler left the tray on a train to Port Washington on Thursday evening, according to a press release from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
Assistant Conductor Jonathan Yellowday, of Queens, was working on the 6:11 p.m. train out of New York Penn Station to Port Washington when he discovered the tray of engagement rings.
Yellowday got on the next train back to Penn Station and turned the case of jewelry over to the MTA police.
The rings belonged to jeweler Ed Eleasian, whose office is located in Midtown Manhattan. He said he did not realize he left behind the case of jewelry on his commute home.
LIRR President Phil Eng praised Yellowday’s good deed.
“Not only did you find and return these 36 rings, but just think about the happiness of 36 couples down the road that will be joined together in happiness, and they’ll have a story to tell,” Eng said.
Eleasian recovered his lost case of jewelry Friday afternoon.
“I could only imagine what you were going through yesterday when you realized that you didn’t have your jewelry. You know when you get on the 6:11 you’re in good hands,” Yellowday told Eleasian.
Yellowday has worked for the LIRR for seven years. He said he had seen many lost items throughout his tenure, but nothing of this value.