Security camera footage caught a dramatic scene that will break any mother and child’s heart.
While Avery Sanford was in the middle of a class at Deep Run High School, her estranged dad did the unexpected.
Her dad decided to give her final child support payment in the most shocking way.
In the footage, a man inside an SUV was seen turning over a landscaping trailer in front of their lawn. They only found out it was her father when the man stepped out of the car.
Then using the trailer, Avery’s dad dumped 80,000 pennies on the grass as his “last child support payment” to her. Turns out, Avery hasn’t spoken to her father for years, and according to her, what he did hurt her deeply as her child.
“It’s not just my mom he’s trying to embarrass,” she told WTVR. “It’s also me and my sister and it’s upsetting that he didn’t consider that before he did this.”
Although Avery wasn’t there to witness the incident firsthand, she said her mom, Raven Sickal, saw it all.
When you thought scenes like this only happens in movies.
Raven came out of their house to check what was going on, but she didn’t recognize the man at first. When she asked what was the guy dumping on her front lawn, the then-unknown man replied by saying, “It’s your final child support payment.”
That’s when she realized it was her children’s father.
What happened was undoubtedly hurtful and inflicted a good amount of emotional damage on their family. However, they decided not to dwell on it so much and to turn the painful experience around instead.
Both Raven and Avery agreed to donate every single penny from that “final child support payment” to Safe Harbor, a non-profit shelter that helps people who survived sexual violence, human trafficking, and domestic abuse.
“Turning around and donating that money to moms and children in need, I feel like that really turns this situation into a positive one,” Avery said. “You can learn a lesson from it.”
Little did they know that their generous act of donating $850 would contagiously spread like wildfire.
Following their act of kindness was a rain of donations.
Safe Harbor received tons of donations online and that includes both local and international donations.
Along with the downpour of donations were well wishes for Avery and her family.
“This is a donation on behalf of Avery Sanford. Way to take the high road. What a strong and beautiful gesture you made,” wrote one donor.
While another one wrote, “I also want to support the Sanford family and their generosity in the face of a very toxic act. Peace!”
Raven and Avery learned about the good news and were glad their bad experience somehow ended up beautifully.
“When I read about the donations, I sobbed,” Raven said. “It made both of us very emotional. This reach has been amazing and the thoughtfulness and kind gestures have been beyond anything we expected. We just wanted to turn this around and that’s exactly what we did.”
“The result of 18 years of built-up frustration.”
That’s what Avery’s father told WTVR when he was asked what made him do such an inhumane thing. He also said that his “emotions got the best of him” and said that “the last thing he wanted to do was to put a further wedge between him and his daughter.”
Unfortunately, that’s what exactly happened.
Raven reported the incident to authorities but didn’t proceed with filing a formal complaint about it.
“It’s really hurtful and damaging to your kids when you do things like that,” Avery said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re young or an adult, the actions of your parents will always have some effect on you.”
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