Toys and other items on layaway at the Kmart in Maudlin. (Dec. 10, 2012/FOX Carolina)MAULDIN, SC (FOX Carolina) -
On Monday, Barbara Gibbs was searching for the words to express her gratitude.
"I mean I felt like I was so excited! I felt like I won the lottery or something," said Gibbs, who had toys for her grandson, Jaden, on layaway at the Kmart in Maudlin.
She couldn't believe what a store associate told her on the other end of the phone.
"They said a Secret Santa just come in and paid your layaway off. I said, 'What? Are you serious?' I was so excited," exclaimed Gibbs.
One act of kindness seems to have caused a ripple as more people show up to layaway counters digging into their hearts and wallets to pay off balances for total strangers.
"I've had two people cry over the phone," said Brett Cannon, a store associate at Kmart. "I've seen people cry at the register. They are just so thankful for all of this. All of the goodness that people bring them."
Cannon said one Secret Santa spent $500 wiping out several layaway balances for a number of people.
"Whomever it was, thank you so very much,"said Gibbs.
Store associates said three people have come into the store to pay down layaway balances this week.
Copyright 2012 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WFXG, a Raycom Media Station.
