Anonymous Donor Pays Off Layaway Items For Metro Burlington Customers

The year 2020, for many, will not only be a year for the history books but also one to be quickly forgotten thanks to a global pandemic. 

Several shoppers at one metro business may not feel that way anymore after an anonymous donor paid off several layaways at the Burlington location in Moore.  

The layaway items were paid for in mid-December, just before Christmas. 

2020 was no picnic for April Murphy. In addition to the pandemic, Murphy underwent serious life changes.  

“I had just finished a two and a half, three year-long divorce which was completely, as you know, financially draining,” Murphy said. “At the beginning of COVID, my work was actually extremely slow.”

Murphy is an essential worker at Healthcare Express in Moore, checking in patients for COVID-19 testing among other needs. 

Murphy was shocked when Burlington called to notify her that Christmas gifts put on layaway for her children were paid for by a total stranger. 

“Whoever this person is, if you know who it is, tell them I said, ‘Thank you,’” Murphy said to the Burlington store manager on the phone. “She said, ‘Unfortunately, we don’t know who it was.’” 

Burlington managers told Murphy the donor paid for other customers, too. Murphy had just $70 left to pay. 

“It is one of those things: ‘Do you need electric or do you need a couple of Christmas gifts for your kids?’” Murphy said. “Yes, you need electric but also Christmas is a very important thing for families, especially for mine. This is our second Christmas, not as what my kids would call a whole family.” 

Feeling inspired, Murphy said she hopes to repay the favor one day.  

It’s considered a holly jolly end to a not-so-holly jolly year.  

“In this world of (a) mess that everybody is in right now, somebody just took that time out of their day to bless others,” Murphy said. “It restores a lot of faith in humanity right now.” 

News 9 reached out to Burlington. The store said it will not reveal how many people their layaways paid off or how much money the anonymous donor spent.