CLARKSVILLE (KFSM) -- It`s the season of giving and a secret Santa did just that today at an area Walmart.
A secret Santa paid off over $27,000 from 133 layaway accounts at the Walmart in Clarksville on Friday (Dec. 7).
That secret Santa told the Walmart associates that he had a blessed year and wanted to pay it forward to other people.
“I was completely shocked. It completely reassured me that there are good people in our area. You know you can hear bad stories all day, but it`s nice to have something good happen to you,” Chelsea Sparks said.
Chelsea Sparks got a text message from Walmart that said her layaway had been paid off except for a penny.
Thinking it was a mistake, she went into the store to see for herself.
“I really thought it was a mess up, so when she told me that I teared up. You know it was a huge blessing. I couldn`t believe that somebody would actually do that,” she said.
Sparks owed $70 on her layaway account. She has a one-year-old whose birthday is next week, so she`s been stressed about buying not only Christmas gifts but also birthday presents.
“It is really really nice. A huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Just one less thing to deal with,” she said.
Assistant store manager Leonard Scheumack said they had no idea this way going to happen until that man walked up to the layaway desk this morning and asked to pay off all their remaining Christmas layaways.
“We`ve had a lot of excited customers when we`ve actually told them what happened. Of course, they have wanted to know who and what, where and how but we`ve just told them it was a local Samaritan that wanted to help us out and the community out,” he said.
If that secret Santa is watching, Sparks has something to say...
“Thank you, and it taught me, and you know reminded me that we should pay it forward. We all have been blessed in certain ways, and we should definitely pay that forward to other people,” she said.
At the pleasant grove Walmart Supercenter in Rogers, two more secret Santa’s paid off layaways Thursday (Dec. 6) and Friday (Dec. 7).
Those totaled $2,500.
Those secret Santas also wanted to remain anonymous.
Walmart sent 5News the following statement.
"When customers quietly pay off others' layaway items, we are reminded of how good people can be, we are honored to be part of these random acts of kindness."