Couple Who Immigrated to America Leaves $847K Estate to U.S. Government

A Seattle couple, who met after the husband fled Nazi-occupied Europe to American shores, have left their entire estate the “to the government of the United States of America” in their identical wills, reports ABC.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Treasury received a cashier’s check for $847,215.57 on behalf of the estate of Peter and Joan Petrasek.

Although the couple never explicitly stated their reason for the donation, officials have pointed to the couple’s immigrant roots and the husband’s escape from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia as a possible reason behind the generosity. Joan was also an immigrant originally from Ireland.

“This case is interesting because it seems to be that these were two immigrants who felt grateful to have this adoptive country open its arms to them after having a hard time in Eastern Europe during World War II,” said Peter Winn, the U.S. assistant attorney who helped handle the case, told the broadcaster.

“It’s pretty obvious these folks felt pretty proud they were U.S. citizens.”

[ABC]