A woman was in for a huge surprise as she participated in a Reddit gift exchange only to receive presents from no other than the billionaire Bill Gates himself.
Shelby is a big fan of Secret Santa which is why it was already her 95th time to participate in the gift exchange when she was surprised by Gates who rewarded her with a load of gifts including a Harry Potter-themed Christmas hat, a large adult LEGO set, a copy of The Great Gatsby manuscript, and several pieces of valuable memorabilia and toys.
On top of all that, Gates made a donation to the American Heart Association after learning that Shelby’s mother had passed away unexpectedly back in March.
“Bill Gates, you are a blessing. This year has been a complete rollercoaster of emotions for me; in March, I lost my mother completely unexpectedly only 10 days before my destination wedding,” Shelby wrote in her touching post in which she thanked the billionaire for his gifts.
“It has been hard to drum up holiday spirit this year, and this has been a zap taser of Christmas cheer.point 215 |
I have felt like I’ve been on another planet the past few days and I still cannot believe how lucky/cool/honored/all the adjectives I am to have had someone craft such a special and personal set of gifts just for little ol’ me.point 198 | 1
“And your donation to The American Heart Association in my mom’s memory is the most special gift of all. It means more to me than I can express.”
As the 33-year-old woman with a big heart explained, she and everyone around her were shocked to know that Bill Gates had sent her a massive package that didn’t even fit in her car.
“I’m full-force in my getting-ready-for-bed routine. I check my phone one last time and I spy an email alert informing me that my RedditGifts Secret Santa package has shipped!” she explained in her Reddit post.
“I log in and am a bit taken aback that the package is being FedEx overnighted – sounds expensive. I also noticed that it was being shipped from Washington state, and as a seasoned RedditGifter, I remark to my husband, ‘Huh, wouldn’t it be something if my Santa was Bill Gates?’”
On the next day, when Shelby went to pick up the mysterious shipment, the clerk spilled the good news and allegedly said:
“OH MY GOD! You’re the BILL GATES package! We’ve been waiting for you all day. Is this really from Bill Gates, or is it a hoax? Grab a cart because you’re going to need it.”
Inside the huge box were not only dozens of gifts precious to Shelby but also a letter that touched her heart. Bill Gates’ note read:
“Wow, I’m impressed that this is your 95th Reddit gift exchange! You seem like a very generous person, and I hope my gift makes you smile this Christmas. I’ve included some fun things to enjoy both at home and outdoors – plus a couple of great books I think you’ll like.
“At the same time, I know no gift will ever make up for losing someone so important to you. I was very sorry to hear about your mom, and I’ve made a donation to the American Heart Association in her memory. I hope you and your family find your ‘new normal’ this holiday season.”
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