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NFL Star Pays Off Over 300 Layaway Accounts at His Hometown Walmart
Bobby Ellis / Getty ImagesKhalil Mack of the Chicago Bears talks on the sidelines before the start of the preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Aug. 24, 2019, in Indianapolis. (Bobby Ellis / Getty Images)
Published December 14, 2019 at 12:10am
The pressure to find and purchase the perfect gifts for your family can easily become the most stressful part of the holidays, but one NFL player wanted to help ease that stress for some people in his hometown.
A Florida Walmart announced on Dec. 6 that all of the active layaway accounts had been paid off in full thanks to a generous hometown hero.
Chicago Bears linebacker Khalil Mack's foundation seeks "to positively affect the lives of intercity and under-privileged youth and families."
Earlier this month, Mack quietly donated $2,000 to a youth football team in Chicago that was raising money to get to the Disney National Championship game.
This past weekend, however, Mack decided to spread some Christmas cheer a little closer to home, according to WGN-TV.
On Dec. 6 a Walmart in Fort Pierce, Florida, announced to its customers that a "secret Santa" had paid off all active layaway accounts.
"We have some wonderful News!" the store wrote on Facebook.
"If you have an active Holiday Layaway account at your local Ft. Pierce Wal-Mart, you account has been paid off!
"We here at Walmart would like to thank the Khalil Mack Foundation for your generosity, and for making so many families happy for the holidays! Everyone is truly greatful for everything you have done for them!"
Store manager Mathias Libardi told TC Palm that Mack's foundation paid off over 300 accounts but was unwilling to disclose the total dollar amount.
"His foundation came to us and said he wanted to be a secret Santa," Libardi said.
He also helped out his alma mater's football team earlier this year.
Mack played football at Fort Pierce Westwood High School before college, according to TC Palm.
As the team was preparing for the football season this summer, he decided to give back to the program that helped him get to the NFL by purchasing cleats for the high school players.
Tags: Act of Kindness, Charity, Christmas, National Football League NFL, Sports