The extraordinarily generous random act of kindness cost the good samaritan $15,000, but delivered so much more than just financial relief in the pressure cooker of December.
Celina Brew was one of the grateful beneficiaries and says the good deed had made her entire Christmas weeks before it even arrived.
“I went to put $100 on my lay-by and was told I only have $1 left,” she said.
Confused, she explained to staff that she was sure she still had around $200 to $300 left to pay off, and was then told a stranger had paid it for her.
“I teared up and was overly grateful, it means so much to me to have it paid out,” she said.
The single mother recently lost her rental home due to her landlord putting it on the market, and she hadn’t been able to find another place to live in town.
She and her children moved in with family out of town and now have to travel 45 minutes each way daily for school.
“I don’t have a lot of cash left over after pay due to travel and the kids’ medications and sensory needs as they’re both autistic,” Celina said.
“It’s truly an amazing feeling, knowing there’s some amazing people still out there.”
She said if she could talk to the donor, she’d express how deeply grateful she was and how much it meant to her to not have to stress about getting her lay-by paid off for the kids.
According to Big W, this is the third consecutive year the donor, who is a community member, has performed the act at the Shepparton store, upping their donation by $5000 this year due to times getting tougher.
When they were at the store to make the payments, they also spontaneously paid for a waiting customer’s $400 Cricut machine they were about to place on lay-by.
Big W staff said it was beautiful to witness and that customers were always filled with gratitude to learn they were recipients.
Another grateful beneficiary, Jaki Smith, said she thought something was wrong when her partner called her from the lay-by counter after she’d sent him to pay some money off her lay-by while she looked elsewhere in the store.
“He said a secret Santa had been and paid the lay-by and only left $1 on it to pay,” she said.
“I was so confused and shocked.
“Nothing this good has happened to me.”
Jaki said she’d only made the lay-by at the beginning of November so she could pay it off and pick it up on Christmas Eve.
“Having this done means a lot of stress is off my back,” she said.
“I would like to say thank you so much for you such kind gesture.
“It is one of the best things that has happened to me this year.”
30°C