A teacher who is also a wife and mother of two young children in Idaho Falls, Idaho, got the surprise of her life recently thanks to a Secret Santa.
Charlotte has been working hard to support her family since her husband Shawn was rushed to a hospital in Utah and doctors discovered he had an extremely high white blood cell count, East Idaho News reported Thursday.
In September, he was flown to a medical facility in Utah and he and his family learned he had chronic leukemia.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a cancer that affects a person’s blood and bone marrow:
The term “chronic” in chronic lymphocytic leukemia refers to the slower progression of this cancer. CLL typically progresses more slowly than other types of leukemia. The term “lymphocytic” refers to the cells affected by the disease. The cells are a group of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes help your body fight infection.
Shawn has since returned home but is still undergoing treatments and must return to Utah for checkups as he recovers.
Meanwhile, Charlotte continues working at her school, where she “leads upper elementary grade students” and teaches music. She also teaches piano and voice, and always helps with the school’s summer programs.
When the Secret Santa heard about the family’s situation, he sent East Idaho News’s Nate Eaton and his team to surprise her with $1,000 in gas cards, $2,000 for groceries, and a $3,000 check.
Charlotte was shocked when Eaton and his team walked into her classroom and held back tears as she opened the gifts. The children clapped as each present was revealed.
“Thank you so much,” the emotional teacher told Eaton when she hugged him.
Social media users commented on the touching video, one person writing, “You can tell those kids love Miss Charlotte.”
“Bless her heart. She was truly touched and so thankful- and the kids were so excited FOR her. Love it. Praying for a medical miracle this Christmas for this family!” another user commented.
