CLEVELAND — Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland and rookie forward Jaylon Tyson got in the holiday spirit on Wednesday, surprising shoppers at the Giant Eagle on West 117th Street in Cleveland with some cheer and goodwill.
Garland and Tyson spent the afternoon bagging groceries at the Giant Eagle. As shoppers unloaded their carts onto the conveyor belt, they were shocked to see Cavs players at the end of the register.
After the players bagged the groceries, they had another surprise for the shoppers—they paid for everything.
Reactions varied from shopper to shopper. Some were floored by the gesture, unable to say much. Others made sure to be vocal about their excitement. Some even shed tears.
All were grateful.
"[The Cavs] surprised me going through the line and said he's buying all my groceries today and 'Merry Christmas,' said shopper Jim Sparks. "That was awesome...very, very good...it speaks a lot that they're out here not only taking care of the team, they're taking care of the community, they're looking out for everybody, giving, it's awesome."
For Tyson, the day of making an impact on others had its own impact on him.
"It was a blessing to be out here to be able to bless these people with a lot of smiles on a lot of people's faces so honestly it was a blessing. I wish I could have done this my whole life. It's definitely a humbling moment for me and I'm excited," said Tyson.
Tyson made his rounds from register to register, paying for groceries but also meeting fans and taking time for them. He listened to stories about their families and some of their struggles, hearing why the gift of groceries mattered to them.
At the same time, Garland walked the aisles of the Giant Eagle, surprising other shoppers in the store with $100 gift cards for them to purchase their groceries with.
That was his favorite part of the day.
"Definitely surprising people in the aisle, that's my favorite. They're not really expecting it," Garland said. "We're in a holiday spirit and just want to give back and put a smile on people's faces. It's a lot of groceries being bought around this time, trying to get their meals together, so just trying to buy a couple people groceries and putting a smile on their face."
The surprise from Garland and Tyson on Wednesday was part of the Cavs Season of Giving.
For Garland, he said that giving back is the least he could do for the city that has supported him so much.
"It's my second home. It's felt like home for me since I got drafted here. I've always felt welcome. The city always welcomed me and even when I'm out, they always cheer me on tell me to go do my best and go win a game," Garland said. "So it was super cool just feeling that energy, feeling that love around the city, and just wanted to reciprocate the same thing back to it."
