A Secret Santa is making happy waves in a Texas town still sputtering in Hurricane Harvey’s wake four months later.
Each year an anonymous businessman has traveled the country handing out about $100,000 in $100 bills from his own pocket to random strangers and this year he chose Beaumont, which is still suffering in the aftermath of the storm from August through September, CBS News reported.
First stop was Jane Petty, a resident left virtually homeless after Harvey's flooding, who said she lost everything in the storm and couldn’t buy her grandchildren Christmas presents.
The Secret Santa, accompanied not by elves but by members of the Beaumont police, gifted her with $300.
Another resident also received hundreds of dollars and a note that said, “You represent the courage, the value, the kindness," KFDM reported.
Secret Santa, who said he wanted to remain anonymous, told the news outlet that the whole campaign was not just about the money but about inspiring a ripple effect of good deeds.
"It's total unconditional love, nothing in return that's where the tears of joy and happiness occur and we had that throughout the entire day," he said, adding that the people of Beaumont were “working hard and helping each other," in the wake of Harvey, KFDM said.
The anonymous donor said he also wanted to draw attention to the sacrifices made by the Beaumont Police Department.
"I want the officers to know that their heroism, their sacrifice is not unrecognized," he said, per CBS News.
Several hundred dollars were handed out to various officers, who then used the money to distribute to members of the community and share in the joy of giving.
“Harvey devastated so many members of our community and The Beaumont Police Department was honored that Secret Santa chose us to help him spread a little bit of Christmas cheer,” the department said in a post on Facebook.
“Our hope is that many people across not only Beaumont, but the world, will be their own Secret Santa and perform a random act of kindness to a someone in need.”
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