OWASSO, Okla. — An Oklahoma City man stepped in to pay off the remainder of an Owasso veteran's GoFundMe and made a promise to cover his property taxes for the rest of his life.
On June 8, 2 News Oklahoma introduced you to Don Vaught, an Owasso veteran facing the loss of the home he shared with his wife of 60 years following her death.
WATCH: Stranger pays off Owasso veteran's GoFundMe, vows to pay property taxes for life
Jason Thomas, a stranger from Oklahoma City and the CEO of Thomas Blonde, saw Vaught's story and felt compelled to act.
Thomas paid off the remainder of Vaught's initial $14,000 GoFundMe goal.
But Thomas did not stop there.
"Then going forward for the rest of his life, we're going to pay his property taxes so this is never a problem again," Thomas said.
When 2 News shared the good news with Vaught, he was overcome with emotion and called the surprise a tremendous blessing.
"I deeply appreciate how you feel about me, and I know it's going to be a struggle for me, but God worked in mysterious ways. He touched your heart, and so I'm thankful for that," Vaught said.
Vaught also had a message for Thomas.
"I had 60 years with my wife, and I hope he has 60 years with his wife," Vaught said.
Vaught said if his wife were still alive today, she would be incredibly thankful.
Thanks to the generosity of Thomas and many others, the GoFundMe now sits at over $15,000, proof that when one heart breaks, others rush in to help heal it.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Sharon Phillips is your Owasso reporter.
Is there something you think she should know about or look into?
You can email her at Sharon.Phillips@kjrh.com.
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