After $1,100 was stolen out of her purse, Diane Brown was surprised by donations from strangers.
Her reaction was captured on video as her granddaughter, Amanda Jenkins, handed her $640 of the total.
“All of these strangers donated all of this money to you,” Jenkins tells Brown in the video. Her grandmother immediately begins tearing up, and says “Thank you.”
The 73-year-old was shopping for Christmas presents at Hillside Shopping Centre earlier in December when she was bumped into by a stranger. She fell, and realized the money in her purse was missing. She’d been given $1,100 from a family member since she is on old age pension and has limited funds.
READ MORE: Surprise coming to elderly Esquimalt woman who had $1,100 stolen from purse
The total reached $1,145, much of it from a Facebook group for moms. One donation was for $500.
“You’re welcome, Nan. I’m so happy that you’re happy,” Jenkins said as she hugged Brown.
The post on the Victoria Rant & Rave Facebook group already has more than 200 likes and comments from people saying the video brought tears to their eyes too.
“I felt really proud of the community coming together to help my grandmother,” Jenkins said. “I wanted to give more to people in my life and to strangers. I felt a really strong awareness of Christmas spirit.”
READ MORE: Saanich mother’s 1,000 cranes fundraiser takes flight
