Man who lived in trailer park with no furniture died with multi-million dollar secret
The man lived a threadbare existence before leaving behind his hidden fortune to the small town he called home.
A man who lived a simple life left his town stunned when he died and revealed a big secret - he was a multi-millionaire.
Geoffrey Holt had been living in a trailer park with no car or furniture, but upon his death, he left a whopping £3 million to the town of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, US.
Best friend Edwin "Smokey" Smith said the man "seemed to have what he wanted, but he didn't want much."
But Geoffrey's will revealed that he'd left a multi-million fortune to benefit the community in areas like education, health, recreation, and culture.
Steve Diorio, chairperson of Hinsdale's select board, expressed surprise at Holt's success, saying: "I know he didn't have a whole lot of family, but nonetheless, to leave it to the town where he lived...It's a tremendous gift."
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Holt, who passed away in June aged 82, loved collecting model cars and train sets. His house was filled with them, even extending into a shed.
He also loved history books and had a massive record collection, including Handel and Mozart.
Smith said that Holt, who used to work as a production manager at a grain mill, invested his money wisely and could often be seen sitting near a brook and reading financial publications.
He once told Smith that his investments were doing better than he expected and wasn't sure what to do with the money as he shared details of his fortune a couple of years before his death.
Holt's sister, Alison Holt, 81, from Laguna Woods, California, US said she and her brother learned about the importance of investing and not wasting money from their father.
She said: "Geoffrey had a learning disability. He had dyslexia. He was very smart in certain ways.
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"When it came to writing or spelling, he was a lost cause. And my father was a professor. So, I think that Geoff felt like he was disappointing my dad. But maybe socking away all that money was a way to compete."
The locals have yet to formally discuss how to use the money but ideas include upgrading the town hall clock, restoring buildings, buying a new ballot counting machine or setting up an online driver's education course.
Organisations can apply for grants through a trust via the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, which will provide about £119,000 annually.
Town administrator Kathryn Lynch, said: "We'll use the money left very frugally as Mr Holt did."
The man's sister said that Geoffrey was content with little, didn't seek attention, and may have feared change.
She said: "He always told me that his main goal in life was to make sure that nobody noticed anything or you might get into trouble. I just feel so sad that he didn't indulge himself just a little bit."
