For 8 Years, Hospital Employee Had Been Hiding Secret On Job, Then Boss Sees It

#5 It’s Christmas Time…

Christmas time brings out the best in some people.

Jessie Tendayi, 54 works at the cafeteria at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She likes to save her money to something a little special for the patients at the hospital each Christmas. So, nobody had a clue what she was up to until her boss walked in on what she had hidden in a backroom.

“I have to do what I have to do to make the children happy,” Tendayi says.

#4 Love For Kids

Everyone knew Jessie was married to a man, with whom she moved to the U.S. 19 years ago, but nobody knew the extent of what she was hiding until this week. The couple never had any children of their own, but Tendayi says, “I do now. I do have a lot.”

18 years ago, she was hired to work in the hospital where she was making enough to live her life.

Tendayi said. “One day I was watching TV and I saw children in need. I asked myself, 'What should I do for them to calm down what they are going through?’ So, I started saving my money to make sure the children had something to play with while they are sick, so they can forget their pain.”

#3 Toys were bought from various stores…

She set up a savings account to put aside money every month for her year-end shopping.

All the toys were purchased by Jessie from stores like Walgreens and Family Dollar. To the Chicago Tribune, Jessie said that she did what she had to – to make the children happy.

The toys were all laid out, and the children got to come down and do a little of their own shopping. Each child got to pick the toy they wanted.

This is not the first-year Jessie has done this. She started buying toys for the children in 2009.

#2 Amazing…

In 2009, she bought 100 toys. Since then, Jessie has purchased more and more toys, and this year 1,300 is the most she has ever been able to bring.

When asked why she does it, Jessie said that she saw the children in need, and wondered what she could do to help.

On December 12, Tendayi delivered toys to both Advocate Children’s Hospital and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Children could walk through the incredible offering of toys bought by Tendayi and choose their own toys.

#1 The Biggest Gift

For Tendayi, the biggest gift is seeing how much the children appreciate the gifts.

“I’m happy. I’m happy to do this,” she said. “When God puts this in your heart, you don’t get tired.You love what you’re doing. I love helping other people.”