Brookfield man "paying it forward"

A Brookfield man is playing Santa Claus to a homeless veteran nearly 200 miles away.  Yesterday, John Rayner was listening to WLAD's sister station 98Q and heard a story of a homeless Boston father of 3 who found a wallet with no identification in it.

The homeless veteran found no credit cards or ID, but $172 cash in the wallet.  The man turned it into police and the wallets owner is taking that man to lunch. 

Rayner says he was so touched by the veteran's honesty that he sent a check for the amount to the homeless shelter where the man is staying.  He also included some money for the other veterans there.

Rayner didn't serve in the military, but many of his friends were in the Vietnam war.  Some didn't make it back and the ones who did, needed additional support.  Rayner says he's fortunate enough to be in a position to reward the veteran's honesty. 

He says that's what Christmas is about.