A dead rat named Jack, may he rest in peace, netted a local family $500 at an awards ceremony Thursday.
Eileen Previani and her son Nick received the prize for picking up the most unusual item found in Southern California during Saturday's Coastal Cleanup Day. The two stumbled across a small, wooden coffin for the rat while sifting through the sand in the Upper Newport Bay.
They were honored during a ceremony in Santa Monica, coordinated by the California Coastal Commission, for their volunteer work to preserve the environment.
They returned to Newport Beach to attend a funeral for Jack. He was given a proper burial where his coffin was found.