Mom Tells Son They Have $20 Shoe Budget Before ‘Angel’ Makes The Kindest Offer

Oct 05, 2021 by apost team

Raising children comes with plenty of rewards, but it can also come with several challenges along the way. Those challenges seem to amplify when there aren't two parents helping to care for the children and provide for them, which is something that Malisa Manguso has unfortunately come to learn all too well. She is a single mom of two sons and has to stick to a strict budget in order to pay for all of the family's necessities.

She and her two sons went shopping to buy a new pair of shoes for her eldest son, 11-year-old Zach Stone, at a discount store in Meridian, Idaho, back in July 2019. Money was tight, and Manguso explained to her son that they only had a $20 budget to buy him a new pair of shoes before the next school year started. What started out as a normal day quickly turned into one of the most unforgettable moments in Manguso and Zach's lives. 

While they were shopping, a man by the name of Lito Mason happened to notice them and overheard their conversation about their small budget. As someone who grew up without a lot of money, Mason understood their situation, and he wanted to do something to help them. It was clear that Zach needed new shoes, and Mason was right by his side to help him pick out the perfect pair without having to worry about the price.

This stranger's selfless act of kindness not only captured the hearts of the family members, but it also captured the attention of people all across the world.

An Act Of Kindness

In August 2019, KTVB reported that Mason had been shopping for shoes at a discount store in Meridian, Idaho, when he overheard Manguso and Zach talking about how Zach needed new shoes for school. "I had the same shoes for about nine months and the bottoms of them were destroyed," the 11-year-old told KTVB. Manguso explained they had a $20 budget and they needed to "be wise" with their choices.

Mason decided he wanted to help and approached the family. He explained, "I asked him, 'So what type of shoes do you like?' He said 'I just want something that's comfortable.' I was done! At that point, I said I'm going to get him whatever he wants."

Manguso was blown away by the stranger's kindness. "For the first time in a long time, I saw Zachary light up, and be so happy," she said. Zach picked out a comfortable pair of back-to-school shoes with Mason by his side. "When we walked outside, Zach said, 'Mom, I can't believe he helped us, he helped us, he's like an angel,'" Manguso recalled. 

The single mother was so shocked that she took a picture of Mason and her son smiling together and shared it to Facebook. The post blew up, as people all around the world were amazed by Mason's kind heart. "It was unbelievable," Zach said. "There were too many comments to read."

Manguso was still surprised by Mason's act of kindness. "I think people like that should be recognized," she said. Mason hopes this story inspires people to help others in need. "In this world where things have gotten so ugly and all over the place, there are still some good people out here," he said.

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Were you surprised by this stranger's act of kindness? Have you ever helped someone you didn't know? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones, too.