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Local family thankful for a stranger's help

Posted at 8:51 AM, Nov 27, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-27 08:51:27-05

"I get out of the way when he's in the kitchen," said Shelly Wilson, who woke up at 7 AM to start getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

It's been a long day of cooking for Shelly and Ken.

"We're doing smoked turkey and a regular turkey," explained Shelly.

Usually they have dinner at her dad's, but this year they're starting a new tradition and hosting 15 people in their home.

"I think I'm happier that I'm with you," Shelly said to Ken. "It's pretty awesome putting Thanksgiving together here."

"Yeah it is," said her boyfriend Ken Ridenour. "Very much so."

Something that almost didn't happen when their freezer broke last week.

'Everything was very warm and very mushed by the time we discovered it," said Shelly. "Just trying to stay afloat and then having the freezer do that... we didn't know what we were gonna do."

The two were shopping for pet food at Meijer when they saw the Very Merry Meijer event go on.

"We were thinking that was so cool," said Shelly.

A family was getting their entire cart of groceries paid for.

"We were watching and they told her she had a gift card to pay forward to someone else in need," said Shelly.

The two were standing near the checkout line when a little girl pointed at them and decided to pay it forward by giving them a 100 dollar Meijer gift card.

"Money was tight for us," said Ken. 'It came at the right time."

They say the freezer breaking was a blessing in disguise.

"I don't know what else to say," said Shelly. "I'm getting choked up."

"Good things happen," explained Ken.

"They happen," said Shelly. "They come around."

Something they're very thankful for this holiday season.

"I never dreamed it would happen," said Shelly. "It almost sounds too good to be true."

"That's one of the blessings," Ken said looking at Shelly. "It's her."

That and a family to share Thanksgiving dinner with.