A young father in Idaho recovering from being hit by a car was overwhelmed with emotion when he was surprised with a life-changing gift from a Secret Santa.
Martin, who is from Rexburg, Idaho, was at a gas station this past October when a car accidentally reversed into him, according to East Idaho News. As a result, Martin has suffered serious injuries to both his legs and has since undergone surgery and ongoing physical therapy.
Approximately 104,000 pedestrians were treated for non-fatal vehicle crash-related injuries in the U.S. in 2020, per the CDC.
Before the accident, Martin worked as a carpenter providing for his wife and three children but has been unable to work due to the extent of his injuries.
The weeks going into the Christmas season have been described as an “extremely difficult time” for Martin and his family since he is not receiving income due to his recovery.
A local Secret Santa, who is giving $1 million to eastern Idaho residents in need this Christmas season, heard about Martin’s story and wanted to help take some stress off him and his family and bless them in a huge way.
Martin received a $10,000 check, $3,000 worth of gift cards for groceries, and $2,000 worth of gift cards for gas.
When East Idaho News’s Nate Eaton came to Martin’s house to present the gifts to him on behalf of the Secret Santa, the hardworking father was fighting to hold back tears.
“You’re making me cry,” Martin told the outlet.
After opening all the gifts, Eaton told Martin that Secret Santa sends him his love, that he cares for him, and wishes him all the best. An emotional Martin continued to thank him for the much-needed gift.
The Secret Santa has generously given $10,000 checks to other deserving locals this Christmas season, including a single mother raising a child suffering from a traumatic injury and a couple whose infant daughter is currently in the hospital with a heart defect.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.