MEET IN TONIGHT’S THIS IS IOWA. >> FOUR YEARS AGO, KIRA CONARD WAS STUCK. THE WINTERSET NATIVE HAD THE GRADES TO BE A THERAPIST BUT NOT THE TUITION MONEY. >> I GREW UP IN A SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLD. I HAD THREE OLDER SISTERS. PAYING FOR ALL FOUR OF US WAS NEVER AN OPTION. >> SO AT HER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PARTY, SHE WAS PREPARING TO BREAK THE NEWS COLLEGE WASN’T POSSIBLE. >> IT’LL MOST MADE ME FEEL POWERLESS. I WANT TO DO THIS. I HAVE THIS GOAL. BUT I CANNOT GET THERE. JUST BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL PART. >> BUT THAT’S WHEN HER PHONE RANG. >>AND I BROKE DOWN INTO TEARS IMMEDIATELY. >> THE MAN ON THE OTHER END DROPPED THE NAME DALE SCHROEDER. >> HE WAS VERY QUIET. SHY. >> THIS MAN KIRA HAD NEVER MET GREW UP POOR, NEVER MARRIED AND WORKED AS A CARPENTER FOR 67 YEARS AT THE SAME DES MOINES BUSINESS. >> HE WAS THAT KIND OF A BLUE-COLLAR GUY. WENT TO WORK EVERY DAY. WORKED REALLY HARD. WAS FRUGAL. LIKE A LOT OF VIOLENCE. STEVE: AND, TEN YEARS BEFORE KIRA’S DILEMMA, HAD WALKED INTO HIS LAWYER’S OFFICE. >> HE SAID I NEVER GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COLLEGE THOMAS SO I WOULD LIKE TO HELP KIDS GO TO COLLEGE. >> THEN CAME THE JAW-DROPPER. >> I WAS CURIOUS. I SAID HOW MUCH YOU TALKING ABOUT. HE SAID JUST SHY OF $3 MILLION. I NEARLY FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR. >> WHEN DALE DIED IN 2005, THE GUY WHO OWNED TWO PAIR OF JEAN >> HE HAD CHURCH DEANS AND WORK JEANS. >> LEFT BEHIND A RUSTY CHEVY TRUCK AND INSTRUCTIONS TO SEND SMALL TOWN IOWA KIDS TO COLLEGE. >> HE WANTED TO HELP KIDS THAT WERE LIKE HIM. THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COLLEGE. BUT FOR HIS GIFT. >> KIDS LIKE KIRA. >> FOR A MAN THAT WOULD NEVER MEET ME TO GIVE ME, BASICALLY, A FULL RIDE TO COLLEGE. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN. STEVE: BUT FOR 14 YEARS, IT HAS. >> LONG TIME NO SEE. STEVE: DALE SCHOEDER’S OBITUARY SAYS HE DIED HAVING NO DESCENDANT BUT SATURDAY NIGHT, THE 33 IOWANS HE PUT THROUGH COLLEGE GATHERED AROUND HIS OLD LUNCH BOX, AND DUBBED THEMSELVES DALE’S KIDS. >> TO DALE. DALE WOULD BE EXTREMELY PROUD. >> THE MAN THEY NEVER MET CHANGED THE COURSE OF EVERY LIFE IN THE ROOM. >> THAT’S INCREDIBLE. STEVE: THESE DOCTORS, TEACHERS AND THERAPISTS STARTED THEIR CAREERS WITH NO COLLEGE DEBT. BUT THEY FOUND OUT THERE WAS A STRING ATTACHED. >> ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU PAY IT FORWARD. YOU CANNOT PAY IT FORWARD -- YOU CANNOT PAY IT BACK, BECAUSE DALE IS GONE. YOU CAN MEMBER HIM, AND YOU CAN EMULATE HIM. STEVE: MAKING SURE THE GENEROSITY OF AN IOWA CARPENTER REACHES PATIENTS, STUDENTS AND STRANGERS ALL OVER. >> REALISTICALLY, IF IT WASN’T FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP? >> I WOULDN’T BE HERE. STEVE: AFTER PAYING THE FULL 80,000 DOLLAR COLLEGE BILL FOR KIRA AND THE 32 OTHER IOWANS, DALE’S ACCOUNT FINALLY JUST RAN OUT OF MONEY.