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.