Students cheer as elementary school custodian is given an amazing gift from Secret Santa - East Idaho News
Secret Santa

Students cheer as elementary school custodian is given an amazing gift from Secret Santa

  Published at  | Updated at

Secret Santa is back and this Christmas is bigger than ever!

The EastIdahoNews.com team is busy helping a local man gift more than $500,000 this holiday season. A lot more. Secret Santa is a real person who wants to remain anonymous and hopes to help as many people as he can.

We will be surprising deserving people and families every day from now until Christmas with gifts unique to their circumstances.

Jose Hernandez is the head custodian at Longfellow Elementary. He never complains, always has a positive attitude and works hard for his family. He brought himself to the United States at the age of 13 from Mexico. He is a father of six children – two which are adopted.

Jose is the type of person that would give you the shirt off his back if it was the only thing he owned. He is the kindest, most generous type of person. He drives a car that he paid $500 for 15 years ago. That car just died. No matter the struggle, he always gets to work on time, never calls in sick and has a work ethic superior to most people.

His wife has poor health and does not work. He is a great example to students by showing grit every day. Jose has had many struggles in his life and always perseveres.

Secret Santa felt that Jose would be the perfect recipient of an early Christmas gift so the East Idaho News elves surprised him during a recent school day. Watch the video above to see what happened!

If Secret Santa has inspired you to do something anonymous for someone else this holiday season, we want to hear about it! Email news@eastidahonews.com and tell us about your Secret Santa project.

watch Secret Santa videos

SUBMIT A CORRECTION