KAMLOOPS — Ann Goddard is celebrating her own Christmas miracle, thanks to her own personal Santa Claus, Harvey Hantula.
Hantula has donated a van to Goddard and her partner Jae Reid.
“I’ve never received anything like this in my life and I’m very very touched,” she said.
Last Tuesday, Goddard had just returned home with her groceries and went inside when suddenly her van caught on fire.
“Unfortunately the fire started because it was such an old vehicle and there was an oil drip and they think that the oil somehow got ignited,” Goddard said.
The van was destroyed, but fortunately, the home was spared.
“At that time it was quite the sad thing because me and my friend are disabled and we rely on a vehicle to get us to appointments and to get our food and things like that,” Goddard said.
Goddard and Reid also used the van for their paper routes, which is how Hantula ended up getting involved.
“It was the Kamloops news,” he said. “I think it was page number two. I noticed the fire and location and I started thinking, ‘I’m not too sure, maybe we know these people.’ And, that’s exactly how it ended up.”
Hantula knew the couple from delivering papers to his business, Harvey’s Auction Service.
He invited them over and offered up a 2006 Ford Freestar.
“I feel really good about it because it’s so deserving for them and I know they will appreciate it,” Hantula said. “It will always make me feel good.”
Since the fire, Goddard was offered two other vehicles and says she is touched by the kindness of the people in Kamloops.
“There is a God in this world and there are beautiful people who care about other people, and I think at this time of year that it just goes to show that there is a Santa Claus.”
