TOLEDO, Ohio — A U.S. Army veteran is taking it upon himself to spread holiday cheer, despite his own problems.
He's on his own limited income and is battling health issues, but said the hard times in his life have pushed him to do what he does. Plus, it brings him just as much happiness, as it brings to others.
For almost a decade, Dave Gilbert has put together hundreds of Christmas cards to give to complete strangers.
"(I) usually have stacks of them," said Gilbert as he showed WTOL where he packs the envelopes.
"I can give a card out and they go, 'What is this?' I go, 'A banana split. Merry Christmas,'" Gilbert said with a laugh.
The U.S. Army veteran said he gives away more than 500 cards each year to make people happy, especially those who are alone or are going through a hard time.
Through his own life experience, he knows what that can feel like.
"My dad tried killing me at 6 months old; burning me to death, and I didn't know what it was to be loved. It's always a beating for something somebody else did. I'm not trying to say I was an angel, cause some of it I did do. But, you don't deserve a beating like that," Gilbert said.
In the past, Gilbert has reached out to agencies when he was in need himself. They helped him get the apartment he lives in now, so he wants to pay it forward.
"I do all this in pain, a lot of pain," Gilbert said.
But, he said the reward at the end of the day is all worth it.
"I feel God wants me to do it. It makes me happy. It's the happiest in my life that I've been except for my girlfriend. It's just wonderful giving to people," Gilbert said.
The veteran usually adds his address to the cards or gives people his phone number so they can reach out if they need help finding services. He said he doesn't mind connecting them to people who have helped him.