DALLAS – Across the country, there’s a holiday tradition blooming that involves a group of “Layaway Angels” who show up at stores and pay off the layaway plans for complete strangers ahead of Christmas.
Two such “angels” happen to play for the Dallas Mavericks.
Veteran guard Devin Harris and forward Dwight Powell have worked with the nonprofit group Pay Away the Layaway the last few years and they were back at it this season, showing up at a local store and footing the entire bill for 50 local families in need.
It’s a day, Powell said, they anticipate all year long.
He said the process works like this: the store informs 50 families with unpaid layaways to show up the next day for a “store appreciation day.”
“Devin and I then address the crowd,” Powell said “and tell them this appreciation day doesn’t really exist. We explain that we are really here to pay off their layaway stuff and they can take everything home. They don’t have to pay one single cent today.”
The unsuspecting families show an array of emotions; some stand there in shock, others laugh and smile – and then there are plenty of tears.
“I came to support Dwight the first year and had a really unique experience with the families,” Harris said. “I saw the tears and the happy, joyful kids and it kept me coming back. I try to support what our guys are doing and try to help out. To be in a position to help others and bless them is really special for us and we are happy to do that.”
One man called it a Christmas miracle. He explained to us that his family endured a tough financial year and he was worried about how to make Christmas special for his two children.
“We had put stuff on layaway for my daughter,” he told us. “Yesterday we walk in to try and pay it off because we were behind on payment, and they told us to come back today.”
He arrived with his two young children only to be met by two men who happen to play basketball for the Dallas Mavericks.
“That’s when we found out Dwight and Devin were paying for our stuff. You see them on TV as a professional athlete, but they are role models and a lot of people look up to them. It shows what we give to our team, they give right back to us. They take care of their community.”
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