Mother Stunned When Her Son, With the Help of a Stranger, Orchestrates Touching Christmas Surprise
Mothers are some of the most self-sacrificing people God put on this earth, often going without basic needs in order to provide for their children. When children, especially little ones, recognize their parents’ selflessness and, even in a small way, try to repay them, it’s such a beautiful thing.
Thanks to her sweet little boy and the generosity of a total stranger, one Indiana mom doesn’t have to go without a basic, yet profoundly meaningful need anymore.
When LaDonna Wattley put on her winter coat each chilly day for the last two years, she knew it had seen better days and was, “all shredded up inside,” as she described it to a local news outlet. “The lining was shredded up inside. I didn’t even know he realized that. I didn’t say anything about it. You do what you have to do.”
LaDonna didn’t know was that her 11-year-old son Gabe noticed the sorry shape of her coat as well, or that he had it on his heart to bless her with something special.
When LaDonna and Gabe took to their local Target store to do a little Christmas shopping, Ladonna gave her son a decent allowance of $20 to pick out Christmas presents for others.
While his mom kept shopping, Gabe went straight to the outerwear section, picked a beautiful olive green, faux fur-trimmed coat, and headed to the register with it.
“People who were in line were kind of smiling and nodding and I noticed some of the Target employees,” LaDonna recalled. “[Gabe was] like, ‘cover your eyes mom, cover your eyes!’ I didn’t know what was going on. I just did what I was told.”
Maybe he was just so excited to finally have both a bit of money and a nice coat for his mom in hand, but as the cashier rang up the coat, Gabe discovered he was about $60 shy of being able to pay for it.
Gabe must have been utterly heartbroken in that moment but, thankfully, it wouldn’t last long. Another customer behind him noticed the problem and stepped forward to pick up the rest of the bill!
The anonymous good Samaritan also offered to pay for a hat and gloves if Gabe needed them, and although he was utterly shocked by the person’s kindness and giving spirit, he politely declined. The coat that he was so excited to give to his mother was enough.
So, when Christmas Day finally came, Gabe was finally able to give his mother a gift she so desperately needed.
LaDonna Wattley was moved to tears on #Christmas after opening her 🎁 from her 11-year-old son. She gave him $20 to buy a gift, but he was able to buy a $80 🧥, thanks to a complete stranger. Tonight find out why 🧥 means so much to her & why she wants to meet the Good Samaritan. pic.twitter.com/AJBUUkjIk8
— Aaron Cantrell (@AaronTheNewsGuy) January 2, 2019
“I wanted to show that I know that she loves me, appreciates me, and takes care of me,” Gabe shared.
More than just a coat, which is surely appreciated, Gabe gave LaDonna the gift of acknowledgment of her self-sacrificing spirit as a mom and the affirmation that she must be doing something right in the parenting department!
Now, LaDonna and Gabe are sharing their story in hopes of locating the stranger who blessed them so much with such a simple act of kindness. If they do find her, Gabe said, they wish to give her this message: “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!”
