KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | Mistaken phone call leads to a holiday miracle

Mistaken phone call leads to a holiday miracle

YAKIMA, Wash -- It's a story perfect for a Hollywood movie.

Willie Cripps, a veteran, raising two granddaughters, thought he was calling the local VFW. Instead he misdialed and called Tom Reed of Mutual of  Enumclaw, a local insurance company.

Unaware of his dialing mistake, Cripps asked if the VFW was still handing out holiday gift baskets.

"I thought it was a friend pulling my leg," said Tom Reed, the Operations Manager for Mutual of Enumclaw.

After a short, confused conversation, but men hung up the phone. However, Reed's co-workers investigated the call and realized the VFW's phone number is similar to Reed's and urged their boss to call Cripps back.

"I said, what do you need this Christmas, and he said food."

But the employees of Enumclaw decided to give more than just food, and collected clothes and bought toys for Willie's two granddaughters. Friday afternoon, they hosted an early Christmas party for the family.