Santa Claus paid a very timely and emotional visit to a Leesburg family in desperate need of help Monday night. And when all was said and done, tears were rolling down a thankful mom’s cheeks as she finally knew her children would be able to enjoy Christmas.
Alisha Hill, a single mother of four, lost her house and all of her family’s belongings Saturday when a blaze ripped through her Beecher Street residence. When it was all said and done, the only thing that didn’t appear to be damaged was her white Christmas tree standing in the corner of her charred living room.
Hill’s home was a total loss and everything she and her kids owned – including wrapped presents under the tree – was ruined. Christmas was just two days away and as the last firetruck pulled away from her ravaged home, Hill felt very alone and wasn’t sure what to do.
“When you go through a fire like that and you lose all your stuff, it’s scary,” she said. “I was afraid. I didn’t know what tomorrow would be like.”
Enter Hill’s longtime friend, Stacie Shepherd, and Mark and Debbie Stapleton, owners of 441 Thrift Store in Leesburg. Shepherd and Mark started talking on Facebook early Sunday morning and before both signed off to go bed around 3 a.m., a concerted effort was under way to bring Hill’s four children – Calonie, 4; Kamel, 7; India, 13; and Aliyah, 18 – a Christmas they would never forget.
The Stapletons, who had never met Hill before Monday night, and Shepherd started getting the word out through social media and various news organizations. And before long, wrapped gifts for Hill’s children, donations, gift cards, clothes and furniture started pouring into the Stapletons’ store.
“People from all over, even The Villages, came in,” Mark said. “We even had somebody drive in from Seminole County today and drop things off.”
Mark, himself a fire victim at the age of 11, said there was no way he and his wife weren’t going to do everything they could to help Hill and her family in their time of need.
“This is Christmas,” he said. “This is a time to be joyful, not in here with tragedy.”
Both Mark and Debbie insisted that the real credit for the van load of presents they delivered goes to everyone who donated.
“We’re just Santa’s helpers,” Mark said. “The community is the real Santa.”
When asked what it felt like to deliver the first of several loads of gifts and household items they have for Hill, Mark said: “I feel very happy that the family is happy.”
Debbie agreed.
“Look at the kids,” she said, excitement evident in the air as they and their cousins examined the presents the Stapletons had delivered. “That’s what it’s all about.”
“They’re already wondering what’s in those presents,” Mark added with a chuckle.
Shepherd said she’s very thankful she and Mark connected on Facebook.
“This man opened up his business as an opportunity for us to have drop-offs for gifts,” she said. “He opened up his heart and his time. He and his wife have just been complete angels in this whole situation.”
Shepherd added that it gave her a warm feeling inside to see so many people reach out to help her friend of 20-plus years.
“They have really restored my faith in humanity, honestly,” she said.
As Hill surveyed the various gifts that took up half of her mother’s living room, she said she felt overwhelmed and overjoyed at the same time.
“I’ve said time and time again how thankful we are for people reaching out to us,” she said quietly.
Hill said she’s also thankful for the complete strangers who donated items to help her family.
“They were mostly people I have no ties or association with,” she said. “And they cared about my kids. This just showed me how we still have some good people right here. I know we are going to be OK.”
As for the kind of Christmas her children will have this year, Hill took one look at all the packages and said she’ll be quite busy in the near future.
“This is my mother’s house and she’s going to want every piece of this wrapping paper put in the trash,” she said with a laugh. “I’m definitely going to have to clean up because they’ve got some opening to do.”
Those wishing to help Hill can drop items off at 441 Thrift store at 1541 U.S. Hwy. 441. She can be reached at (352) 460-9369.
