ROME, Ga. — He's only 21, a college student and working a new job to help his mom pay bills, but that didn't stop Jason Murphy from stepping in to help families in need give their kids a Christmas.
Now, he wants people to follow his lead and pay it forward.
"My paychecks don't even come to $1,000," he said.
A junior at Dalton State, Murphy said he didn't grow up with much.
"Growing up, Christmas, it means a lot to kids," he said. "So, when parents get in those financial situations like I did when I was younger, it's something you can't really explain to children."
In fact, just last Christmas, the Rome native said he almost didn't have one.
"I ended up taking two paychecks from my last job and bought different gifts for different family members," he said.
When he heard coworkers mention what one mom was going to do for her kids for Christmas, he decided to step up.
"She came up with the idea to make slime for her kids for Christmas," he said. "And I was like, 'That's pretty cool,' and they were like, 'That's all she's doing'."
Financially, that was all she could do. But Jason wanted to do much more - even if he doesn't have much.
Asking around, he researched and ended up starting a casual conversation with the mom finding out what her kids liked.
"She was like, 'Oh, well, my daughter has always wanted these Barbie Malibu houses'," he said.
Then, he found out about another family who needs help. They have a little boy who likes animals. He bought themed toys.
"It's like a veterinarian thing with these small little things," he said. "Like a vet shop."
The families don't know Murphy is buying gifts. Friends will deliver them.
But, on Christmas morning, two families and a handful of kids will believe in the magic of Christmas.
"I want people to join in," he said. "There's always somebody that could use a push, you know, a little help," he said.
Jason said he hopes to buy a few more gifts for the parents with his next paycheck.
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