Generous Detroit man makes it rain cash at his own funeral, helicopter drops $5,000
Jul 01, 2025 02:01 PM IST
Family of Darrell Thomas fulfills his wish with a helicopter tribute, showering money and petals in a farewell to the community.
Darrell Thomas was known throughout Detroit’s Eastside as a man with a giving heart. Even after his death, he found a way to give back to the community he loved. On Friday, June 27, Thomas’s family honoured his final wish by organising a helicopter to fly over his funeral and release rose petals and money over Gratiot Avenue, near Conner Street.
A helicopter dropped $5,000 at a Detroit man’s funeral.
According to a report in Detroit Free Press, the unusual tribute took place at 1.27 pm, directly over Showroom Shine Express — the car wash Thomas owned in Detroit.
A final farewell
Thomas passed away on June 15 at the age of 58. His sons, Darell and Jonte, arranged for the helicopter drop, which showered $5,000 and petals onto the street below. Police had been notified in advance about the release of rose petals, but were unaware that money would also be dropped.
Thomas’s niece, Crystal Perry, it was a gesture that captured his spirit.
“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.”
Footage that has gone viral online shows money raining down from a helicopter. The final gesture has earned the Detroit entrepreneur much praise and admiration on social media.
The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the incident. Detroit police, however, have confirmed they are not pursuing any inquiry.
Crystal Perry explained that the gesture was exactly how her uncle wanted to say goodbye.
“He would do anything for anybody,” she said. “He just had a different kind of heart. You don’t meet people like that nowadays.”
Outside of running his business, Thomas was also a licensed professional race car driver with the National Hot Rod Association
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