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Man continues tradition of donating toys to children after growing up poor

Posted at 7:40 PM, Dec 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-11 21:40:48-05

A man dropped off $12,000 worth of toys to children in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Saturday, continuing a tradition of providing toys for the community.

According to NBC News, Adam Armstrong, a 35-year-old who said he grew up poor, drove a truckload of toys to Harris Gardens, a public housing complex in Harrisonburg. There, he was greeted by dozens of children and their families.

These just weren't trinkets and candy canes.

"He was giving away bikes, remote-controlled cars, real Barbie dolls, not Dollar Store Barbie dolls," property manager Sara Lewis-Weeks told NBC News. "He didn't miss anybody. His heart was truly in this."

Lewis-Weeks compared the giveaway to when Oprah famously gave away cars to her entire audience.

"They thought it was going to be a couple of stuffed animals, not, 'And you get a bike, and you get a bike, and you get a bike,' like an 'Oprah' for little kids," Lewis-Weeks told NBC News.

Armstrong told NBC News that he felt blessed to be able to give children nice toys in time for Christmas.

"I remember Harrisonburg being a friendly small town," Armstrong said. "I remember government housing and a lot of poverty, crimes, drugs, violence and things of that nature. Every time I see kids, I know it's not their fault where they are."

To read NBC News ' full report, click here.