Each year, so-called “layaway angels” visit retailers covering the remaining balances of orders that strangers had planned to pay for over time. This year is no different, as one generous person shelled out $79,000 to pay for toys and other gifts on layaway at a Pennsylvania Walmart. 

ABC 27 reports that a man, dubbed “Santa B,” stopped by the local big box store and asked to specifically pay off the balances of holiday layaway orders on Monday afternoon.

A store manager for the retailer says the Good Samaritan entered the store at around 1 p.m., shelled out $79,000, and brought a little bit of extra joy to countless holiday shoppers.

“Today was definitely a big deal,” Christy Evans, manager at the Walmart store, tells ABC 27. “It was a big donation.”

While Evans says the store has seen donations around the holidays before, she’d never seen one like this before.

Once the donation was made, shoppers who approached the layaway counter to pay for their orders, were shown an account with a zero balance and a notice that their gifts had been paid off by a Good Samaritan.

“It’s a lot of mixed reactions,” Evans said, “complete relief to customers just breaking down and crying.”

Customers on the receiving end of the good deed, expressed their thanks to Santa B via ABC 27.

“It’s been a rough year this year,” one woman said. “I was actually going to cancel my layaway. It’s going to be a great Christmas.”

“I couldn’t believe it. Still don’t, but thank you,” one shopper said. “I want to say ‘thank you’ for whoever you are. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you very much.”

‘It’s going to be a great Christmas’: Secret Santa gives major gift to layaway shoppers [ABC 27]

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