15-year-old high school freshman pays off layaway accounts in Virginia Beach; inspires others to do the same



VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia -- Jack Mayo, a Virginia Beach high school freshman is like most 15-year-old kids. However, when his mind is set on something, it's hard to stop him.

"Whenever Jack asks you a question and he comes back for seconds and asks you again, you know that something's clicking in his mind, and it's working on him," said Jack's dad, Cory Mayo.

Jack's wheels started turning a little more than a week before Christmas, when he heard on the radio how country stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill paid off someone's layaway account.

"I had always been used to, you woke up on Christmas and you knew that there was going to be something there," said Jack Mayo. "It gave me the idea that we could do it here and let somebody have a nice Christmas."

"Right when he said he was doing it, I knew I would be doing the same thing," said Cory Mayo.

The idea brought the Mayo family to the Toys "R" Us in the Lynnhaven Mall area, where employees helped them find accounts where people were consistently paying a little bit as they could.

Jack paid off one account with money he earned babysitting and doing chores, and his parents paid off another.

"As it rings up, you can see what the toy is, and I saw a 'My Little Pony,' and some little car set, so you know these were for really young children," said Cory Mayo.

"We did it anonymously because I didn't really want to bring attention to myself," said Jack Mayo.

Jack's mom Allison snapped a picture anyway, just to share with family on Facebook.

None of them expected that Jack's generosity would become so contagious, as a result.

"South Carolina, friends of ours there, up to Richmond, they felt so moved they went and did the same thing," said Cory Mayo.

Jack says he never expected the response.

"It's been really overwhelming -- the amount of families that can be helped because of one thing I decided to do," said Jack Mayo.

As of Wednesday, December 21st, the Mayos said at least 10 families have paid off layaway accounts after hearing Jack's story.