A man and his children grieving the loss of their wife and mother were blessed Christmas Eve by a Cincinnati church congregation who gave them presents, toys, and a $6,700 check to help pay utilities for the next year.
Travis Feltner, a father of eight kids ranging in ages from three to 20, stood before the Compass Community Church congregation Friday to accept these surprise gifts.
Listen to today’s podcast and subscribe:
Joined by some of his young children, he visibly became emotional as he thanked congregants for coming alongside his family after his wife, Amber, died in September of COVID-19.
“I just can’t believe all the things that this church has done … it’s amazing what you guys have done for us,” he said, as he began to tear up. “I had no idea what I was going to do. Thank you so much for reaching out and being there for us.”
It has been a difficult time for the Feltners. Before Amber’s death, Travis was in a serious car accident after his vehicle was struck by a man fleeing police, WLWT-TV reported.
Watch the emotional moment at the 52:00-minute mark:
The gifts and the check were presented to the Feltner family by Emily Blake, who serves on the church’s missions and outreach team. She told the congregation how she had heard the family’s story and wanted to help.
“We heard about your story … we just knew that we were led by God to show you His love,” she said, speaking directly to Feltner. “We just want you guys to know that we see you, that God sees you, and that He loves you.”
As Blake presented the gifts to the kids, she told them Jesus loves them and has “an amazing plan” for their lives.
Blake later told WLWT-TV it’s her mission to ensure people going through tough times do not feel forgotten.
“People oftentimes don’t feel seen or heard and that’s my main mission everyone needs to feel seen at their lowest points and their highest points,” she said.
Amber Feltner’s story made headlines in September when the 37-year-old died a week after being transferred to intensive care. At the time, Travis Feltner told media he knew his wife would want the family to keep moving, though he struggled knowing Amber would no longer be with them.
“I would never want anybody to go through what I’m going through,” he said. “It’s just a complete nightmare.”
Please continue to pray for the Feltner family during this difficult time.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***