Boss Calls In Struggling Lunch Lady To Work Emergency Shift — Gifts Her Brand New SUV

Dec 14, 2021 by apost team

Christmas is a time of giving, but for many people out there, it's also a reminder that they might not have a lot. That's why many initiatives exist to help out people who are struggling during the holiday season. This story from 2018 is a perfect example of that.

Nate Eaton of East Idaho News was the public face for an anonymous Secret Santa campaign that gave away a quarter of a million dollars in cash, plus a few cars back in 2018. One lucky recipient of this sincere Christmas spirit was "lunch lady" Cheryl Stewart, who worked at the cafeteria of Teton High School. Stewart had been having a difficult time in her life due to various reasons and after her car broke down, the school wanted to do something to help her out.

So the school cooperated and arranged to surprise Stewart in time for the holidays. One day, her boss called her in on the excuse that she needed to work an emergency shift, according to Inside Edition. Never did she expect what happened next. After she arrived at the school, the reality was that she was greeted by a news team that presented her with a set of keys for her new vehicle, a brand new SUV. 

Stewart couldn't believe it, as she shrieked and teared up. She was ecstatic and incredibly grateful. And who wouldn't be? A brand new SUV is a very expensive gift! This story is a touching reminder that the holidays are about giving, especially to those who need it most. Let's take a look. 

During that holiday season, Stewart's life situation had been incredibly difficult. Her husband was unemployed at the time because he was battling cancer and lupus. On top of that, Stewart's car had broken down and she had to borrow a car from relatives to make it to work, Inside Edition reported. Not only did she work at Teton High School, but she also had a number of other jobs in order to make ends meet in the face of her family's hardships at the time. 

What's more, Stewart was also a cancer survivor herself. She even had surgery scheduled for the Christmas break because she couldn't afford to take a day off work. She was already scheduled to be off when the school was closed that week. 

After she arrived at the school and was met by the local news team on behalf of the anonymous Secret Santa, Stewart was presented with a small Christmas gift box. As she stood in the school kitchen, she opened the box in front of the cameras and to her disbelief, it was a car key. When the news host said "Secret Santa bought you a car," Stewart immediately began to cry tears of joy. She then recounted her story about having borrowed a car from her parents simply just to get to work.

For her and her husband, the anonymous Secret Santa provided a much-needed break in their lives when they simply couldn't catch a break themselves. Reliable transportation is of enormous practical benefit, plus knowing there is someone in the world who actually cares is a huge psychological boost.  

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There are a lot of people out there struggling to make ends meet. Sadly, an awful lot of stories about "the most Christmas-y place in America" are about places that are decorated to the nines. It usually isn't about a place where someone with money decides to genuinely play Santa for folks in need.

But this story is the exception. This is not a one-off incident. Stewart is one of many people in need in the community and she thankfully received some much-needed Christmas cheer to help her life work better for the foreseeable future.

In fact, East Idaho News caught up with her in 2020, two years after she was gifted the car by Secret Santa. In a sit-down with Eaton, who gifted her the car, Stewart talked about how her life had been since then. She explained that she still drove the car and that it's "amazing." She also talked about how the fact she and her husband received a reliable car meant that they were able to take their daughter, who was pregnant, to appointments and not miss out on any special family moments. 

However, in a sad turn of events, Stewart's son-in-law passed away unexpectedly in 2020. Following that, her daughter and her two children moved in with Stewart and her husband. She explained that she's since cut back on some of her jobs so that she can be a support to her daughter and the car is a great help with that. The interview finished with Stewart imparting some wise words. She said:

"Thank you to Secret Santa for giving me such a wonderful gift. And sometimes we don't know what we need and somebody else is the person that delivers it." 

What do you think about the anonymous Secret Santa that gifted Cheryl Stewart a brand new car? Does this story make you feel more hopeful? If you know anyone who could use some cheerful news, go ahead and send this to them now!