McDonald's cleaning lady of 13 yrs opened a present from 'Secret Santa' — and then burst into tears

The beauty of Secret Santa is how an anonymous gift can spark joy and forge connections during the holiday season. This magic came alive when Hope, a longtime McDonald’s employee, was gifted a brand-new car through the "Secret Santa" initiative by East Idaho News. According to the news anchor, Hope has been with the fast-food chain for nearly 13 years. A single mother of three, she also helps her daughter raise four grandchildren on her own.

"Living modestly, Hope’s focus is always on her family’s needs, making sacrifices to provide stability and care for her grandchildren, who are the center of her world," he explains. When Hope saved enough to buy a vehicle, "her joy was short-lived" as her van met with an unfortunate accident not long after she bought it. A determined Hope purchased another car but this time again her vehicle was sideswiped. Following that, Hope shared her daughter’s car and at times walked long distances to pick it up for errands and work.

When the news outlet’s team surprised Hope with a $1,000 check, she became emotional and overwhelmed by their kindness. But the real surprise came with her second gift—a brand-new car. "No way," she said putting her hand on her mouth in total disbelief. "I have been borrowing my daughter's car, my husband's car so it's been kind of rough," she added. Hope was even happier when she learned that all the taxes and fees had already been paid by Secret Santa and the $1000 would cover the registration and the insurance of the car. Delighted with the gift, she went ahead and sat in the driver's seat with tears of joy.

The news anchor highlighted the spacious back seat, perfect for Hope’s grandchildren. "They (grandkids) would love it. I love it," she said. Hugging everyone and wishing Merry Christman, Hope expressed her heartfelt gratitude to everyone for the kind gesture. The video went viral in no time and people showered love on Hope for her determination and resilience.

@grash4435 commented, "Oh heck, l can't stop crying again. What a lovely surprise for this hard-working woman. Secret Santa, you hit this one right out of the park. Ms. Hope was so grateful and appreciative of her new car." "Nate, you and the elves always do such a great job bringing the gifts to the people," @ms.cellaneous7458 commented. Similarly, @mikes5637 wrote, "I love how she was already overwhelmed by the $1000 and then got the keys. Secret saint, more like." @lwilson4330 wrote, "How wonderful her first comment as she was looking, was 'my grandkids are going to love it!' thinking of how it will help and benefit others before herself!"

While the particular Secret Santa gift made Hope's day, in another incident, Jeff (@hittaa_jeff) was fired without notice after he expressed his displeasure over the Christmas gift. He shared his opinion about the gift on TikTok, which now stands deleted. After the video was posted, Jeff's Secret Santa texted him and said he could have told her directly if he didn't like the gift. “Your secret Santa here just wanted to let you know I came across your TikTok about the gift I gave you. If you weren’t satisfied with your gift you could’ve said that. If you don’t like the lantern please don't throw it away my grandma gave it to me before she passed it’s collectible,” the co-worker wrote to Jeff.