DRAPER, Utah — Jerry Mika is reaping the benefits of a $2.2 million check — and he didn’t even cash it. Mika is taking a free trip to Hawaii, courtesy of talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. A woman sent him money in a Christmas card. A group that celebrates honesty gave him $500.
Mika made headlines in November when he returned a $2.2 million check to the Utah Department of Finance. He was supposed to get a $15 refund on a real-estate license, but someone punched in some extra numbers.
Mika told his story on DeGeneres’ show and also talked about his work in bringing Mount Everest guides, Sherpas from Nepal, to live in Utah. Now he just needs work. His outdoor-recreation store in Salt Lake City recently closed. “I’ve got everybody else jobs,” Mika said of the Sherpas, “but now I’ve got to get one for myself.”
The Associated Press
