Man who hasn't celebrated Christmas since his wife's death gets surprise gift from a Secret Santa - East Idaho News
Secret Santa

Man who hasn’t celebrated Christmas since his wife’s death gets surprise gift from a Secret Santa

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A local Secret Santa is giving $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. Every day, from now until the end of the year, the East Idaho News elves will be delivering gifts from Secret Santa and we’ll be sharing the surprise videos here.

Tom, a longtime Bingham County man whose small home was built by his father nearly a century ago, is well known in his neighborhood for his daily acts of service.

Despite living on a limited income, he mows his neighbor’s lawn, trims her trees, weeds her garden, and, when the snow falls, shovels her sidewalk and driveway without fail. After clearing the snow, he spreads ice melt to ensure his lifelong friend stays safe.

But Tom is now facing a challenge he can’t fix himself. His 25-year-old pellet stove, his primary source of heat, has been breaking down repeatedly. Technicians who have made repairs over the years recently told him the stove had reached the end of its life and needed to be replaced—an expense far beyond Tom’s means. He often considers putting $20 of gas in his truck for the entire month “living big.”

That’s when a Secret Santa stepped in and asked the East Idaho News elves to pay him a visit. Check out the surprise in the video player above!

watch Secret Santa videos

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