Cabela’s creates a ‘Christmas Miracle’ for upstate family

By Rashad Williams

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    GREENVILLE, South Carolina (WYFF) — Christmas is less than one week away, and many associate the holiday with physical items like gifts, food, and family.

Recently, Kimberly Parenteau lost her husband. Parenteau is a grandmother to two children, one 14 and the other 11. Parenteau also has sole custody of the two children.

“They’ve been through so much since their dad passed,” Parenteau said. “They’ve lost both of their grandfathers. The past week I’ve been praying, asking God for a miracle.”

You could say Parenteau’s prayers were answered Wednesday morning during a trip to Cabela’s in Greenville.

Prior to Wednesday, Parenteau reached out to Cabela’s to see if she could take damaged or returned goods from the store, as a way to ensure her grandchildren have a Christmas.

Cabela’s discovered that Parenteau’s husband had recently died, and he was an avid shopper at the store. Cabela’s also learned both the 14-year-old and 11-year-old were in need of winter clothes and shoes.

“The stuff that we get returned or damaged out is nothing that kids would want,” Cabela’s Marketing Coordinator Kelsey Jones said. “We just wanted to do something for her in whatever capacity we could.”

The parents showed up to Cabela’s Wednesday morning expecting to pick up some damaged or returned items, and also planned to take some pictures with Santa. However, the family was surprised by what happened next.

According to a statement from Cabela’s:

“Cabela’s was moved by this family’s story and ultimately decided to sponsor them for Christmas! As secret plans started moving internally, Cabela’s got in-touch with other local community partners, including Toys for Tots, who has pledged to donate a ‘truckload’ of toys to check off the kid’s wish lists and gift nearly $2,000 to help the family make ends meet! Additionally, Cabela’s has raised almost $500 from outfitter donations, providing the children with the winter clothing they need. Lastly, one of Cabela’s outfitters has connected with his church, who now plan to provide ongoing support for the family.”

“It’s like I won a lottery,” Parenteau said. “This has been amazing. I thought it was just to come in and get the kids a couple of gifts and their picture, but I wasn’t expecting all of these presents. When I get back on my feet I want to do something back for them to help another family because I know what it’s like to struggle.”

“It’s kind of like that Christmas joy, that Christmas cheer that you hear about in all the songs or see in all the movies but you never actually felt it,” Jones said. “That’s kind of what it was like. Be a little nicer during this time of year because it’s hard for a lot of people especially those who have lost their families or are going through a hard time.”

Parenteau said prayer, keeping faith and knowing God will make a way is the key to overcoming tough situations.

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