Tamara Beauregard didn’t imagine an ordinary trip to the grocery store could brighten her day, or have her wondering if angels really did exist, but that’s exactly what happened to the mother of two and her family on Saturday.
Her family was at the St. Paul and District Co-op Mall visiting with Santa Claus, when they decided they needed groceries. They were in line with their items, when the woman in front of them struck up a conversation with Beauregard’s six-year-old son.
“I was a good girl today, so I get a sucker,” the woman told son Dominic, whose interest was piqued. She asked him if he’d like one, to which he of course replied, “Yes, please!”
“I was thinking our conversation was done, with that little thing,” Beauregard said, adding she was going to tell her husband to pick up one more item. “Before I got any words out, she looked at me and said, ‘Don’t take this as any offence, but I would like to buy your groceries.’”
Beauregard stared at her with surprise, explaining, “This never ever happens to us. I didn’t know what to say at first.”
“My hubby didn’t know what was happening. I explained to him – he also had a (shocked) look on his face.”
Seeing their looks of surprise, the woman told them, “You guys have been through a lot. I know you guys have been through a lot. It’s Christmas time and I would love to buy your groceries.”
Beauregard began to look at the perfect stranger in a new light, wondering if it was some otherworldly presence.
She couldn’t imagine how the woman could know the family had been through some challenging times of late. Dominic has been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and has been facing suspensions from school due to his behaviour troubles. Beauregard says she and her husband had also been missing work, resulting in loss of wages, to take him to the city to visit counsellors as well.
“We’ve been having a rough time for the last couple of months. It just felt like an angel or someone there.”
Through her whirlwind of emotions, she agreed to the smiling woman’s request. As the cashier scanned the family’s items through, including a box of oranges, the lady cheerfully just said, “Throw another one of those in there!”
“I look at her, and I was tearing up. I told the lady, ‘I just want to give you a hug.’ She opened her arms and gave me the biggest, tightest hug ever.”
As Beauregard and her husband left the mall, they began tearing up about it, and the incident had them feeling emotional all weekend.
“I would never forget her. It put a smile on all our faces. I would like to thank her again, very much,” said Beauregard.
“Stuff like this doesn’t happen every day. It was caring, and giving, it was amazing.”
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