Mother surprised to find stranger's kind gift in box of diapers

MAGNOLIA, TX (KTRK) -- A young mother in Magnolia got quite a surprise after opening a box of diapers for her baby. Her husband had picked them up at a store and what she found in the box has her stunned -- and smiling.

A note from a stranger was the last thing Elisha Pettus expected to find inside a box of diapers, and along with that note was a $20 bill.

"We know babies are expensive. God knows when you are in need and always provides a way. Thank you Lord for this recipient. Bless them, Lord, amen," read the note.

"You look in the box and I saw what I thought was the receipt and proceeded to open it and that's when I saw there was money and it was actually a handwritten note," Pettus said.

This mother of three was deeply moved by this gesture. With nine-month-old Keegan at home, she goes through a lot of diapers.

"It's not necessary, people don't have to do that," she said. "Someone who wants to do this out of the goodness of their heart, not just putting money in there but having a written note to go along with it to say they do understand and some people just need to hear that."

Pettus says she doesn't need the money as much as others, but this inspirational gesture has inspired her to pay it forward.

She said, "I would say what they are doing is really noble and it's something that I know a lot of people could benefit from. ... I have been there before too, where I needed help and I would love to be able to help somebody else who could really, really use the money."

Pettus says she is planning to pay it forward. While we aren't going to give away her plans, she promises it will be just as creative.