Holiday

Generous stranger pays off all layaway accounts at Bellingham Toys R Us

BELLINGHAM, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- The Toys R Us in Bellingham is where a kid can be a kid, and a complete stranger can be an angel.

Around noon on Wednesday, a woman walked into the store and told a cashier she wanted to pay off a layaway balance.

"All of them," she replied. For a total of $20,000.

FOX 25 was there when Diane Brewer from Mendon found out she may not have work extra shifts to pay for the presents she picked out weeks ago for her son.

"I have no words. I can't believe someone would do that, it's so nice," she said. "I have been running around all week picking up layaways everywhere, so this is really awesome."

The person we know only as the "Layaway Angel" walked in and with little fanfare and paid off every single layaway balance at the store.

The angel's good cheer was good fortune for 154 people.

"With all the craziness going on, it actually makes your heart feel pretty good," said Jill Levy of Bellingham.

The balances ranged from a few dollars to a few hundred, for a total of $20,000.

The reactions were priceless.

"I'm so happy about it I cried a little," one person in the store said.

Jason Wood made a special trip from Grafton to pick up his layaway items, toys for his 6-month-old and 5-year-old daughter.

"I wish there were more people like that," he said.

Jason took the money he was going to spend and used it to buy presents for Toys for Tots.

"You've got to pay it forward. It's good karma," he said.

At a place where gifts are sold, this generous gesture is a reminder of what the holidays are really all about.