After finding out she’d be losing her job, shopper gets holiday gift of free groceries
Candice Gagnon started the week on the wrong foot.
The Amherstburg resident was working at an e-commerce company in Windsor and thought it was her forever job. That dream came to a crashing halt Monday when she received an email explaining the company was closing down for good.
“As soon as I went to grab everything I was like 'I need to do something that will make me happy and I need to get something for dinner,'” said Gagnon who drove to Fred’s Farm Fresh on her way home.
“The universe was telling me I needed to be there at that very moment,” she explained. “As soon as I got into the parking lot I started bawling my eyes out. I’m like, 'how am I going to pay for this? How am I going to pay for Christmas? I have bills. I have a little guy at home. What am I going to do?’”
Gagnon gathered her strength and entered the store. Her plan was to pick up sausages and leave but once at the deli counter she was approached by Jonny Parks, co-host of the morning show on 93.9 Virgin Radio.
“I came up and said ‘hey, you know, we're starting this new thing Holiday Hook-Up. We wanna pay for your bill today,’” Parks explained.
Gagnon continued with what Parks told her, “’fill up your cart. Get everything that you need. I’m paying for it.’ I’m like 'why?' and I started crying.”
So did Parks.
“I start crying cause I’m like, ‘I wasn't expecting this first right out of the gate,’” he said.
Upon checking out Gagnon was greeted by Jonny's co-host Hannah Witherbee.
“Do you want a hug?” Witherbee offered Gagnon. “That's all I could do say ‘can I hug you’ because I was like ‘oh, I’m so sorry but also I’m so glad we could help you in a meaningful way.’”
Jonny and Hannah took their Holiday Hook-Up around town supporting local businesses Tuesday giving away gift cards. They donated a thousand dollars to St. Vincent De Paul Wednesday afternoon.
Instead of giving away prizes the team at Virgin Radio decided to help the community in a thoughtful way. “We realized, especially after the last two and a half years of not being together that being together is the real gift we could give everybody at Christmas time.” Said J. Stevens, regional program director for Virgin Radio.
The gesture made her day and Gagnon plans on paying it forward when she lands on her feet.
“I was even saying to Jonny that I don't believe in Christmas magic or miracles but obviously I do now,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.