Tyler Perry Spends Over $430K To Pay Off Strangers’ Layaway Items At Walmart
Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry made holiday wishes come true this week when he spent over $430,000 paying off the layaway items for nearly 1,500 random customers at two Walmart stores in Atlanta, Georgia. He shared a video to Twitter on Thursday to announce the donations, E! News reported.
“I just wanted to go ahead and tell you,” the 49-year-old entertainer began.
“If you have a layaway at the Walmart at 844 Cleveland Avenue in East Point, Georgia, in Atlanta, or if you have a layaway at the Walmart at 7001 Concourse Parkway in Douglasville, Georgia…and it was in there as of 9:30 this morning… I have paid for all of your layaways for Christmas.”
Perry went on to say that all these lucky customers have to do is go to Walmart and pay just one penny to receive their layaway items.
A layaway allows customers to reserve a product and pay for it over time. Customers then receive the product when it is fully paid off.
“I know it’s hard times, a lot of people are struggling and I’m just really, really grateful to be able to be in a position to do this. So God bless you, go get your stuff, and Merry Christmas,” Perry concluded.
Specifically, Perry spent $178,000 at the East Point superstore and another $256,000 at the Douglasville location, according to Entertainment Tonight.
I was trying to do this anonymously but oh well!!! pic.twitter.com/T0dhRHyU66
— Tyler Perry (@tylerperry) December 6, 2018
A representative from Walmart quickly acknowledged Perry’s act of kindness, commending him on Twitter for reminding everyone what the holidays are about, and thanking him.
Thousands of fans flooded the comments as well to thank Perry for giving such a wonderful holiday gift. Some are calling for Walmart to match Perry’s donation.
A Walmart spokesperson also told E! News that Perry’s donations would make a huge positive impact on the lives of many customers, and that employees are touched when they see the reactions of those who received Perry’s gift.
Perry’s act mirrors that of New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson, who recently spent nearly $100,000 on layaway items for Walmart customers in Atlanta. Benson’s story was featured on Good Morning America, which inspired Perry to follow in Benson’s footsteps, ABC reported.
Earlier this year, Perry gifted a Tesla to Tiffany Haddish, the star of Perry’s film, Nobody’s Fool. The director had heard Haddish talking about wanting one and decided to buy it for her. He told the actress that she deserved it.
Haddish promptly shared Perry’s act on social media and thanked the entertainer for doing this out of the kindness of his heart.
