A simple act of kindness has helped families out this holiday season.
According to Kmart store manager Todd Reynolds, several people have come into his Warsaw store and asked to pay the entire balance or the majority of the balance of people’s layaway accounts.
“Over the last three weeks, we’ve had numerous people come in and make payments,” said Reynolds.
Reynolds said when customers have come in to find out their layaway accounts have been paid, it’s been met with shock.
For Kmart employees, the news has been a boost during a time when they are at their busiest.
“It kind of brings to light what Christmas is all about,” said Reynolds.
“I received a call from Kmart last night saying that a secret Santa paid my layaway down to a penny, and I was very appreciative to the person(s) that did it because it has helped me out tremendously,” said Bessie Pridemore on the Times-Union’s Facebook page Thursday night.
For Kimm Silveus and her husband Aaron, the good deed came with shock.
“I got a call last night from the woman in lay-away saying that someone had come in and paid $50 on our lay-away that had a remaining balance of $205,” said Kimm Silveus. “I’m fairly certain that my jaw dropped to the floor and all I could muster out of my mouth was, ‘Are you serious?’”
The Silveus’ oldest child has been in and out of the hospital a lot so the random act of kindness came at a perfect time.
The Silveuses also took the opportunity to respond with their own random act of kindness.
“I took this opportunity to use half of that $50 to pay on a medical bill and used the other half to anonymously pay it forward myself,” said Kimm Silveus.
She also had a message for the anonymous secret Santa.
“Whoever you are, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she said.
