A hardworking father whose newborn daughter had to undergo a liver transplant received a huge surprise from eastern Idaho’s “Secret Santa” this week.
The father, named Wyatt, had to rush his baby girl to the hospital on the first day of his new job, and she eventually had to have a liver transplant on October 31 after months of repeated hospital visits, East Idaho News reported.
Because his daughter will have to remain hospitalized for an estimated two more months, Wyatt and his wife have to commute back and forth from Blackfoot, Idaho, to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah — a three-hour drive.
However, the family does not even have a car; they have been borrowing one from Wyatt’s mother to make the long trip between the hospital and work.
The baby girl will be on medication for the rest of her life and will likely need more medical care even after she recovers from surgery, Nate Eaton, a reporter with East Idaho News, said.
When the camera crew surprised Wyatt at his job, he had shock written all over his face:
“Oh my heck,” Wyatt said when he opened up a box to see $2,000 in gas cards and a $1,000 check from the anonymous donor.
“Oh my goodness … who do I say thank you to?” he asked.
The Secret Santa has chosen to remain unidentified but has pledged to give out $1 million over the course of the holiday season to deserving people in eastern Idaho.
“Well, we have one more gift I wanna give you before we leave here,” Eaton reported, handing Wyatt his biggest present yet.
Upon seeing a pair of keys inside, Wyatt asked, “What the heck is that?”
The entire office gasped and applauded when Eaton replied, saying, “That is a key to your new car.”
“That is freaking crazy,” Wyatt said while getting choked up.
A 2024 Toyota RAV4 was waiting for him in the parking lot.
“That is awesome … that is crazy,” the new dad said as he fought back tears, which began falling as he sat down in the driver’s seat.
“I don’t even know what to say … except for thank you. We really appreciate it.”
Wyatt then video-called his wife to tell her the good news.
“Look what Secret Santa just brought us!”
She responded in disbelief, exclaiming, “What?!”
“Thank you, whoever Secret Santa is. I don’t know how to repay you,” she said over the phone.
