A Chicago family that lost its home in a fire is turning a tremendous loss into a cherished memory.
Gloria Leal says she did not expect the burning of her Chicago Heights home to have prompted such an example of Christmas spirit. But Friday, the same day as the fire, she met the Rev. Scott Reese who runs a nonprofit, Christ Cares. He offered to give her sons toys for Christmas—but was surprised when they turned the offer down and instead volunteered to wrap gifts for other needy kids.
“It makes me proud because I’ve always taught them what we have material is not anything,” she told NBC 5. “We lost everything, everything is charred, everything is damaged.”
The boys told Reese they didn’t want the toys, they wanted to give back to those who needed it.
“It makes me feel wonderful—they know the Lord—they are living out their Christianity,” Reese said.
Leal and her sons say they appreciate the outpouring of support—but what she really wants to do is move them out of the hotel they’ve been staying in since the fire. She wants to give them a new home in time for Christmas.
“That’s our goal, to try and find somewhere that we can rent and spend Christmas—not a hotel but in a warm living room,” she said.
Local
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Leal and her family.
