Former Texan Andre Johnson Buys Over $19K in Toys For Children in Need

Sports

 | December 8, 2016 | By Margo Gothelf

It’s been two years since Andre Johnson last played in Texas, yet it continues to hold a big place in his heart.

The former Houston Texans wide receiver returns to Texas every year to take local children on a shopping spree just in time for the holidays. This past Wednesday, Johnson continued the tradition and spent over $19,000 in gifts for a few local Texas kids.

The kids from Harris County’s Department of Family Protective Services got 80 seconds to fill their baskets full of toys from the local Toys “R” Us. The 80 seconds represents Johnson’s former jersey number while on the team.

Johnson has sponsored the toy drive for the past nine years and each year it continues to make him smile.

“When you grow up in certain situations you kind of understand so, there were times when I was not able to get what I wanted for Christmas. So I know that a lot kids don’t get what they want for Christmas. This idea was brought to me and I just kind of took it and ran with it,” Johnson told Houston television station KTRK.

Andre Johnson does it again…$19,144.58 spent on toys for kids in Houston this morning. Love this. pic.twitter.com/U6qx9ibMZI

— Daniel Gotera (@DTGoteraKHOU) December 7, 2016

While the moment is heartwarming for Johnson, it is especially touching for his mother.

“This here is what my heart makes so warm,” Johnson’s mother told Houston television station KHOU. “People are so grateful, so appreciative of the things that he does. And I have asked, ‘How can one city love a person so much?’ It just made my heart feel good.”

See the shopping spree in action below.