WATCH– Secret Santa Pays Year’s Rent for Man and His Wife Who’s Battling Cancer: ‘This Is Just Awesome’

A Secret Santa in east Idaho paid a year’s rent for a man named Phil and his wife Debbie, who is battling cancer.

Debbie was diagnosed with two forms of cancer in August of 2020, according to East Idaho News. Her husband Phil works as a self-employed painter and was rather busy with work until Debbie’s diagnosis. Since then, he has been caring for his wife by taking her to doctor’s appointments and helping her recover after surgeries. Phil has been doing all of this while trying to make ends meet by working with what little time he has available, as the couple does not have family in the area.

East Idaho’s Secret Santa, who is giving away $1 million in gifts to deserving members of his community, wanted to send some Christmas cheer Phil and Debbie’s way. He dispatched the East Idaho News team to deliver some Christmas presents to the couple’s Idaho Falls home.

The team was able to catch Phil at the front door before he took Debbie to a doctor’s appointment scheduled later in the afternoon.

Nat Eaton and his colleagues gave Phil the first gift for the couple: $1,000 in gas cards to help them get to and from doctors’ appointments.

“Oh my goodness,” Phil said as his jaw dropped. “How do I find out who did this?” he asked Eaton. 

“I can’t tell you; it’s a secret,” the reporter responded.

The team then provided Phil with another gift. He opened it to find $2,000 in grocery store gift cards. “Oh my goodness. Merry Christmas,” Phil said in utter amazement. 

Eaton handed the painter the third gift from Secret Santa.

“I don’t know how to take this. I’m not good at taking this kind of stuff,” Phil said as he opened the final present. Upon seeing that Secret Santa paid Debbie and his rent for the year, he began to hyperventilate. 

“Oh my goodness,” Phil said as he wiped away a tear. “I wish my wife could see this. She’s stuck in bed.”

Before Phil went to show Debbie the gifts, he had a parting message for Secret Santa.

“You don’t know what you’ve done; this is just awesome. I’m overwhelmed, and I know my wife will be overwhelmed too,” an emotional Phil stated. “This is more than anybody could ever dream of. This is amazing. Thank you.”

Secret Santa has been helping people in his community throughout the Christmas season. Breitbart News reported that the Secret Santa gifted a deserving couple a wheelchair-accessible van earlier this month.