Community surprises young boy with a Target shopping spree after he was subjected to heartless prank

We know how hurtful it can be when we're given hope for something amazing and then have that hope suddenly taken away. Gabe Lyles and his father, TJ, were shopping at a Target store in Southington, Connecticut, when three men approached them, claiming to be connected to the popular YouTuber MrBeast and informing them that they had been chosen to participate in one of the YouTuber's famous challenges.

"They said, they wanted to do a fill-a-cart challenge where we would be blindfolded, within 30 seconds whatever we could put within the cart, they would pay for," TJ shared with CBS Hartford affiliate WFSB-TV.

The father claimed that his son informed him they had chosen them for the promotion because Gabe had impaired hearing. TJ heard the men fleeing shortly after the Lyles began playing the game. TJ recounted the heartbreaking moment Gabe discovered the challenge was a prank in a Facebook post, saying it left his son in tears.

"I was at Target with my son shopping I was approached by three men claiming they were from a show called Mr. Beast which is a popular YouTube person who goes up to people and challenges them to do things and ultimately pays for it all. They found out because my son told them he was hearing impaired, to which the lead guy said, 'That's exactly who we are looking for,'" explained TJ. 

He continued, "Now, in between, I did ask a Target worker if this was a thing because they said it was in association with Target, he did say, he did not know, but he was not a manager. So we did the challenge, which was 30 seconds to fill a cart they would pay for. At the 10-second mark, they bolted, leaving my son crying and confused. My heart sank. The very last thing I want to do in this world is hurt him at all in any way, shape or form," said TJ. People were outraged by the incident and they are now rallying behind the 8-year-old boy who was the victim of the cruel prank, according to PEOPLE. 

"It broke my heart because I thought my dreams were coming true," said Gabe. Gabe received a $200 gift card from the Town of Southington Commission for Persons with Disabilities after sharing his story on social media. Target then matched the gift. He added, "The workers and managers there could not have been nicer."

"All three men videotaped this with their phones. I do not know what type of sick individual targets kids with special needs. It's a special kind of disgusting person to pray on them. I understand as an adult, I should have known better, but honestly, I did not think someone would be as disgusting to stoop that low, truly, I hope these three can live with themselves, knowing they ruined a kid's day and left him in tears," wrote TJ.

Gabe and TJ returned to the store, and the boy did, after all, get his shopping spree, where he bought Nerf water guns and water balloons. "I picked out Nerf guns, water balloons, and water guns. It made me feel heartwarming and happy," Gabe shared.