Texas students raise funds to surprise classmate with new shoes for Christmas

Students in Somerset, Texas, recently raised funds in order to give a classmate new shoes for Christmas — and their act of generosity has gone viral.

According to KSAT-TV, when Somerset High School students discovered that classmate J.R. Gilbert, who wears a size 13 shoe, was wearing size 10 1/2 boots, they decided to get him shoes in his size.

The students wanted to help Gilbert, who has special needs, after he mentioned to a classmate that his shoes were too small.

Somerset Independent School District posted a video on its Facebook page of students gathered to give Gilbert his new shoes.

"It's from all of us," junior Roger Villegas told Gilbert in the video. “Everybody here gave 'em to you."

“What? You got my favorite kind, too!” Gilbert exclaimed as he opened his gift.

The crowd of students cheered as Gilbert held up the shoes.

“Thank you, guys!” Gilbert said. “Y’all are the best.”

The school district’s video, which they said captures “the Magic of Christmas,” has been viewed more than 5 million times.

According to KSAT, Villegas, along with students Salvador Solis and Martin Ramos, organized the effort to give Gilbert new shoes.

Villegas told the station, "We were just giving to somebody who needs help."

"I told [Villegas], 'Hey, let's start a fundraiser,'" Solis said. “’Let's get J.R. some shoes.'"

They sold candy and collected donations to buy Gilbert two new pair of sneakers.

Gilbert's mom, Linda Gilbert, told KSAT that her son sometimes insists on wearing the too-small boots because they belonged to his grandfather. Although her son did not need the new shoes, she is touched by his classmates’ action.

"It's not about needing it," she said. "It's something he wanted, and these boys basically granted a wish he wanted."

Solis said his friend’s reaction to the gift "really touched my heart.”

“I mean I'm pretty sure it touched everybody's heart seeing somebody react like that," Solis said. “It's something special. It's something to remember."