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SACRAMENTO–

Most kids are unwrapping presents on Christmas Day. “He had that option” says mom, Yolanda Araiza. But her 12-year-old son, Gabriel Mariscal didn’t want the Kindle Fire he originally asked for.

“I asked my mom if we could feed the homeless this Christmas, and she gave me a choice to do that or get the Kindle, I chose that.” Mariscal told FOX40.

The mother and son served biscuits and gravy out of their green van, parked underneath the overpass on Northgate and Del Paso Tuesday. “It makes me happy because I know I taught my kids well” says Araiza.

When we asked Gabriel why he wanted to do this, he told us he at one time, while living with his father, he was homeless. Soon after he answered our question, his mother looked quite surprised. “He never
told me he was homeless when he was living with his father, that’s why he wanted to do this, that’s where his heart was, it makes sense.” she told FOX40.

This Christmas, Gabriel’s heart was in the trunk of his mother’s van, in the form of biscuits, gravy, and paper plates as dozens of homeless people lined up for a Christmas meal.