A violinist playing her way through dentistry school received a $1,000 boost to her fund after an unexpected case of mistaken identity.

Sari “Serilina” Fisher, 15, yesterday handed the welcome cash to Zavia Doyling after a good Samaritan gave the former an envelope of money while she played in Hamilton.

Ms Doyling, a 20-year-old student at Jackson State University in Mississippi, had been out on her latest round of busking in Hamilton since last Tuesday to raise $25,000 for her college fund.

Ms Doyling, who heads to the US today, told the public last week that she would be playing the violin in Hamilton that Wednesday and Thursday.

However, on Thursday, her usual spot on the Reid Street entrance to Washington Mall was taken up by Sari, a young guitarist and singer, and her father, Eddie.

Sari explained that a woman placed an envelop in her guitar case while she was busking.

She said: “I thought she said my name, so I said ‘my name’s Sari’.

“She said ‘this is for you’ and dropped it in, then she was gone like the wind.

“I opened it up and there were wads of cash in there.”

Sari added: “I turn it around and it says ‘Zavia’ on it with a very sweet little message for her.

“I look at my dad and I say ‘dad, what do I do? Can you get her, I’m in the middle of a set’.”

Sari’s father said he was unable to track down the donor and instead contacted Ms Doyling through The Royal Gazette.

Ms Dowling met Sari in Hamilton yesterday at the spot where the mix-up occurred, in front of the Washington Mall on Reid Street.

Ms Dowling said: “It was the biggest act of honesty and compassion that I’ve ever seen.

“I know a lot of people might have just kept that envelope, and not said anything about it and not come forward.

“It means a lot for me, and I say a huge thank you to Sari and Mr Fisher, who actually made sure that they got in contact with me through the Gazette.”

Ms Dowling said that she was now “a third of the way” towards meeting her fundraising goal.

She highlighted that her employer has made a “major contribution” towards her goal.

Recalling the mix-up, Mr Fisher said he wanted the woman who made the donation to know that her act of gratitude had “gotten into the right hands”.

He added that she set a wonderful example for the young girl that accompanied her, whom he assumed was her daughter.

He said: “I thought ‘what a wonderful mother and what a wonderful role model for a child to see her mother be’. It just really touched my heart.”

Sari said that the gesture stood as a powerful example of how generous Bermudians could be.

She said: “Bermudians, whether it’s through kindness, through words, through support or through donations, can be very sweet and supportive.”

Sari in March was crowned the youngest-ever Bermuda Idol winner when she went up against 15 other singers.

She came away from the competition with a $5,000 cash prize as well as the trophy.