Here’s one of those stories that seems far-fetched even for a schmaltzy holiday movie, but it is apparently 100 percent true.
Two brothers, homeless and living in a cave outside Budapest, recently learned they are set to inherit about 4 billion euros — equivalent to a staggering 6 billion US dollars — from the maternal grandmother they never even knew.
Charity workers broke the unbelievable news to Zsolt and Geza Peladi, who up until now earned scant money selling junk they found on the street.
“We knew our mother came from a wealthy family but she was a difficult person and severed ties with them, and then later abandoned us and we lost touch with her and our father until she eventually died,” Geza Peladi, 43, told ATV television, according to the UK Telegraph.
The grandmother, whose name is not being released, died in Germany, and German law dictates that direct descendants are automatically entitled to a share of any estate. Although this news must come as a shock to these previously-penniless siblings, it’s clear the life-changing nature of the windfall is hitting home.
“If this all works out it will certainly make up for the life we have had until now — all we really had was each other — no women would look at us living in a cave,” said Geza. ”But with money, maybe we can find a partner and finally have a normal life. We don’t know yet if she even told our grandmother about us. I understand it was only while they were carrying out genealogical research that lawyers found we existed.”
Yes, we all know that money can’t buy happiness, but after years of living off the streets, it can at least make the lives of two brothers a whole lot more comfortable.
Photo courtesy of v_hujer via stock.xchang.