Latest news with #DarrellThomas
Global News
11-07-2025
- Business
- Global News
Cash rains from helicopter onto mourners to honour Detroit man's last wish
A Detroit man's dying wish to make money fall from the sky has come true. Darrell Thomas, a 58-year-old car wash owner and well-known local businessman, died after a battle with Alzheimer's disease on June 15, but wanted to shower his community in one final act of generosity. In late June, Thomas made it rain from beyond the grave when a helicopter, organized by his family, hovered above pedestrians and cars on Gratiot Avenue on Detroit's east side and released thousands of dollars in cash and rose petals from above, People magazine and The Detroit News reported. Lisa Knife, an employee at Airport Express Lube and Service, told The Detroit News that the late owner of a local car wash had made the cash drop his final wish and said that 'everybody got a little bit [of money]' to take home.' Story continues below advertisement A video, shot by Crystal Perry, Thomas's niece, appears to have been captured from inside a car driving on the highway directly underneath the helicopter. The footage shows plumes of banknotes blowing towards the vehicle, with people rushing to pick them up from the middle of the street. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Anaya Toney, an employee in the area where the money was released, told People magazine that she noticed bank notes falling from the sky just before she began work and recalled 'so many people' running to grab handfuls of free cash. 'It was actually kind of crazy,' she said, adding that six lanes of traffic came to a standstill as people left their cars and ran towards the scattered bills. Knife said police arrived and that a part of the street was closed for 30 minutes as a result. Toney said that despite a chaotic rush for the cash, everyone kept the peace and only took their fair share. 'There was no fighting, none of that,' she said. 'It was really beautiful.' Footage from the drop has been circulating online and shows the moment onlookers realized that money was flying out from beneath the hovering aircraft. Story continues below advertisement One video posted on Instagram by Thomas's family shows cars stopped in the middle of the highway and passersby cheering as the cash floats elegantly down to the ground. 'Our Pops Wouldn't Want It No Other Way,' the caption reads. A TikTok user filmed the packed highway at a complete stop while people ran towards the helicopter in the hopes of getting their hands on a few dollars. In a message to her late uncle, Perry wrote on Facebook, 'Them boys SHUT Gratiot down on both sides dropped a light five bands & rose petals out the helicopter for my uncle P. A Eastside Legend.' Story continues below advertisement Her video has been viewed 4.8 million times as of publication.
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Watch as dead man's life savings are dropped from a HELICOPTER sparking mad scramble as strangers grab fistfuls of cash
THIS is the moment a dead man's life savings are dropped from a helicopter as strangers rush to grab handfuls of the money. The extraordinary scene saw $5,000 (roughly £3,600) worth of cash fall from the sky over mourners saying their final goodbyes to carwash owner Darrell Thomas. 5 5 5 Footage shows the surreal moment the aircraft flies over the funeral ceremony, where Darell, from East Detroit, was laid to rest after dying from Alzheimer's aged 58. Known for his generosity, Darrell's final wish was to literally shower his guests in cash as they made their final goodbyes. The helicopter is seen releasing plumes of notes and rose petals over a crowd of bemused funeral guests. Hundreds of notes are seen floating in the air before ceremoniously falling to the ground. Shocked onlookers can be seen gazing up at the sky, as others scramble to get their hands on some of the money. "Let me get out and get that money," a child is heard shouting off-camera, while others are heard laughing and cheering. The ceremony was held near Gratiot Avenue and Connor Street, East Detroit, where Darell's business, Airport Express Lube and Service, is located. Traffic came to a standstill as stunned drivers stopped their cars to get their hands on some of the showering money. While police officers were informed about the petal drop, they said they were unaware cash would also be dropped. Barclays ATMs giving out 'FREE CASH' due to 'glitch' with dozens of customers queueing at machines as IT chaos drags on Darell's son Smoke told local news it was his father's dying wish to give back to his community by "showering the streets" with money. A staggering $5,000 was dropped in total, Darell's niece, Crystal Perry confirmed, with Smoke contributing some of his own money to the drop in honour of his late dad. Smoke told locals news: "Detroit, y'all might not know who my father was, but he was a great father. "Among his community he was a legend, and he blessed everyone – and that was his last blessing to everyone. That's all it was." Lisa Knife, an employee at the car wash, said "everybody got a little bit" of the money, "There was no fighting, none of that. It was really beautiful," she added. Last year, wedding guests were treated to a similar spectacle when a groom's father showered a wedding party with cash from a private plane. Viral footage showed a light aircraft circling over the party whilst Pakistani music sounds below. Plumes of paper fluttered from the plane and down through the sky. Guests could be seen gazing and pointing into the sky in disbelief as the notes floated to the ground. The money fell around the large party, with guests sitting at tables and milling around a courtyard. The father from Hyderabad, a city in the southern Sindh province of Pakistan, hired the plane for the extravagant stunt in his excitement at his son's marriage. 5 5
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Chaos in Detroit as dead man's life savings are dropped from HELICOPTER to honor his final wish
A Michigan man known for his generosity made one final, jaw–dropping gesture to thank his community – by literally making it rain cash from a helicopter at his own funeral. Darrell 'Plant' Thomas, a beloved car wash owner in East Detroit, died from Alzheimer's at 58 and was laid to rest on Friday, June 27. But the somber ceremony quickly turned surreal when a helicopter swooped over Gratiot Avenue and Connor Street – where Thomas' business, Airport Express Lube & Service, was located – and began showering mourners with rose petals and bundles of money. Traffic on all six lanes of Gratiot came to a standstill as stunned drivers stopped their cars – some right in the middle of the road – and rushed out to scoop up the falling cash. The dramatic send–off was orchestrated by Thomas' sons, who said it was their father's dying wish to give back one last time by 'showering the streets.' His niece, Crystal Perry, said her uncle dropped a total of $5,000, according to a Facebook post. Footage shows the helicopter hovering in a bright blue sky as petals and bills flutter down, prompting screams of joy and a mad scramble on the ground. 'Let me get out and get that money!' a child can be heard shouting off–camera. 'They dropped this money for my uncle in the middle of Gratiot [Avenue],' Perry says in the background. 'The best to ever do it! Rest well, unc. Rest well!' Instead of turning chaotic, the crowd remained calm and reverent. 'There was no fighting, none of that,' longtime employee Lisa Knife told The Detroit News. 'It was really beautiful.' She did not partake in the cash grab, but instead admired with reverence. 'Everybody got a little bit,' she said. One of Darrell's sons, known as 'Smoke,' helped organize the emotional send–off and spoke proudly about his father's legacy. 'Detroit, y'all might not know who my father was, but he was a great father,' Smoke said. 'Among his community he was a legend, and he blessed everyone – and that was his last blessing to everyone. That's all it was.' He ended with a heartfelt tribute: 'Many blessings to everyone, and long live Plant.' Other videos captured people eagerly scooping up bills from the street, bending down to grab handfuls of cash as it fluttered across the pavement. Smiles, cheers, and laughter filled the air as the unexpected windfall brought the neighborhood together in a moment of shared celebration. Police briefly closed off traffic on Gratiot Avenue and Connor Street to allow the crowd to safely enjoy what many called the most heartwarming goodbye they'd ever seen. While officers were informed about the rose petal drop, they had no idea money would also be raining from the sky. Detroit police said they are not investigating – but the FAA has launched a probe.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Helicopter drops money from sky to honor Detroit man's last wish
Money and rose pedals fell from the sky over Gratiot Avenue near Conner Street in Detroit in honor of Darrell "Plant" Thomas on Friday, June 27. Thomas passed away on June 15 at 58 years old. His sons Darell and Jonte organized a helicopter to drop $5,000 and rose pedals at 1:27 p.m. over Show Room Shine Express, 1041 Gratiot Avenue, Thomas's niece Crystal Perry, Detroit, said. "This was a final expression of love from him to the community because he was a giver," Perry said. "Yesterday was simply a farewell tribute to an Eastside legend." More: AG Dana Nessel: Michigan voters would pass ballot question to erase gay marriage ban More: Free Press picks in 2025 Detroit City Council election | Endorsements Outside of owning Showroom Shine Express, Thomas was a National Hot Rod Association licensed professional race car driver, as well as a brother, father, grandfather and more, according a recording of his funeral at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Perry said to know her uncle Plant was to love him. "He would do anything for anybody," Perry said. "He just had a different kind of heart. You don't meet people like that nowadays." This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Helicopter drops $5,000 in honor of this former Detroit car wash owner
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Money falls from the sky to honor Eastside Detroit man
Money and rose pedals fell from the sky over Gratiot Avenue near Conner Street in Detroit in honor of Darrell "Plant" Thomas on Friday, June 27. Thomas passed away on June 15 at 58 years old. His sons Darell and Jonte organized a a helicopter to drop $5,000 and rose pedals at 1:27 p.m. over Show Room Shine Express, 1041 Gratiot Avenue, Thomas's niece Crystal Perry, Detroit, said. "This was a final expression of love from him to the community because he was a giver," Perry said. "Yesterday was simply a farewell tribute to an Eastside legend." More: AG Dana Nessel: Michigan voters would pass ballot question to erase gay marriage ban More: Free Press picks in 2025 Detroit City Council election | Endorsements Outside of owning Showroom Shine Express, Thomas was a National Hot Rod Association licensed professional race car driver, as well as a brother, father, grandfather and more, according a recording of his funeral at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Perry said to know her uncle Plant was to love him. "He would do anything for anybody," Perry said. "He just had a different kind of heart. You don't meet people like that nowadays." This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Money falls from sky to honor Detroit car wash owner
