WATCH — Secret Santa Pays Six Months Rent for Family of Man Needing Heart Transplant: He ‘Wanted to Ease that Burden’

A local news team is helping an anonymous man give $1 million to deserving residents in Idaho, one of them being the Gast family.

In November, Jason celebrated his eight-year anniversary of undergoing a heart transplant, but went to the hospital when he did not feel good for a few days, East Idaho News reported Friday.

He was later transported by ambulance to the University of Utah to meet with doctors.

Following multiple tests, Jason was placed back on the transplant list because his heart was not working anymore, which meant a long journey for their family.

His wife, whose name is Jill, cares for their four children and keeps everyone together without asking for assistance.

Meanwhile, the Gast’s received a rent increase and Jason’s health is uncertain. Jill is also employed part-time doing transcription to make extra money.

The outlet’s Nate Eaton recently surprised the couple with a check for $2,000 to help with gas, $3,000 for groceries, and said the Secret Santa wanted to pay the family’s rent for the next six months.

Inflation will cost families an additional $3,500 this year and affect low-income families most, a study published Wednesday found.

“We just wanted to bring you a gift for Christmas. Want to open that, Jason?” Eaton said as the man took the small blue box full of grocery gift cards and gas cards.

The couple became even more emotional after opening a red box containing the check for their rent.

“We know that it’s hard to pay rent for a lot of people right now. The prices have gone up and Secret Santa wanted to ease that burden for the next few months, so you can take that directly to your landlord and it should be covered,” Eaton told the family.

The couple were overwhelmed with gratitude and hugged Eaton before wishing him a Merry Christmas.

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