An Idaho teen who has been tasked with taking care of his younger siblings after they lost their mother earlier this year was gifted some much-needed help from a “Secret Santa” this week.
East Idaho News’ Nate Eaton and his camera crew surprised 19-year-old José while he was at work at Intermountain Auto Recycling in Idaho Falls at the request of the anonymous Secret Santa, who is giving out $1 million to “deserving people” this Christmas Season:
José’s mom, Juana Vasquez Lopez, died at the age of 37 just weeks after being diagnosed with cancer — leaving the teen and his three younger sisters in a precarious financial situation.
Even after taking a $3,000 loan from his boss, José was still unable to purchase a headstone for Juana and is struggling to make ends meet.
The hardworking young man seemed to be at a loss for words when Eaton rolled up to his job with several gifts from Secret Santa.
After opening a box of four $500 gift cards to the Fred Meyer supermarket, he thanked Eaton with a smile.
But that was not all.
The emotions were clear on José’s face when he read the gift certificate for his mother’s headstone.
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Eaton told him.
Upon receiving the last gift — a check to pay off his loan to his manager — Jose smiled and said, “I don’t even know what to say… thank you to Secret Santa!”
The anonymous donor is set to give gifts to people in need every day until the end of the year, and has already donated another headstone to a grieving mom who lost her son, thousands of dollars to a couple struggling with their NICU baby’s medical bills, and another big check to a woman battling leukemia.
