Diantae Thomas was so excited to show his dad, Lester, his surprise gift that he didn't even let him put on his shoes.
Diantae Thomas was so excited to show his dad, Lester, his surprise gift that he didn't even let him put on his shoes.
Diantae led his dad outside of his Alabama home onto the street, blindfolded with only socks covering his feet.
It didn't matter.
When Diantae removed the blindfold, Lester laid eyes on the Ford F-150 he'd bought for him. Lester leapt right into his son's arms and started to sob.
"It was a major gift from me to him. I was driving around for a couple of hours looking for a truck and saving up a bit just about every check from playing indoor football up in Bismark, North Dakota," Diantae told InsideEdition.com.
“I knew he was going to cry, but I didn't know he was going to go all out, which it was — it was crazy and my mom said now, until this day, he'll be crying sometimes. Like, he don't believe it.”
The 25-year-old, who lives in Missouri, said he earns about $200 for each football game he plays, and he saved up most of those earnings for the surprise after his father’s car broke down two years ago.
Diantae managed to keep the secret from his entire family.
Lester, who works as a landscaper and handyman, became reliant on wife Darlene to cart him to and from work.
For all of Lester's hard work, Diantae felt he just had to show his appreciation.
“My dad means a lot. He framed me to how I am today, showed me the odds and ends, showing me the ins and outs. Showing me everything to become a man. You only have one dad, you only have one mom. So I try my best to keep them happy, being the baby out of nine,” he said.
As far as presents go, Diantae has set the bar pretty high.
“I try my best to do what I can, and that's the first gift I ever gave to my dad throughout every holiday, every special day there was," he said.
This present will be a tough act to follow, but Diantae is already working on a grand gesture for his mom.
“I’ve been working hard to find a lawyer for my brother. I haven't seen him in a while, he's in prison, so I’m trying to find a lawyer for her. And then if I can get him out, that would be special for her. My mom, she's getting older. I just want her to see him. If not, then I want to get her a house,” Diantae said.
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