Secret Santa reveals his identity
For 26 years, a man known only as Secret Santa has roamed the streets every December quietly giving people money. He started with $5 and $10 bills. As his fortune grew, so did the gifts. In recent years, Secret Santa has been handing out $100 bills, sometimes two or three at a time, to people in thrift stores(1), diners and parking lots. So far, he's anonymously given out about $1.3 million. It's been a long-held holiday mystery: Who is Secret Santa?
But now, weak from chemotherapy(2) and armed with a desire to pass on his belief in random kindness, Secret Santa has decided it's time to reveal his identity.
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He is Larry Stewart, a 58-year-old businessman from the Kansas City suburb of Lee's Summit, Mo., who made his millions in cable television and long-distance telephone service.
His holiday giving started in December 1979 when he was nursing his wounds at a drive-in restaurant(3) after getting fired. It was the second year in a row(4) he had been fired the week before Christmas.
"It was cold and this car hop(5) didn't have on a very big jacket, and I thought to myself, ` She's out there in this cold making nickels and dimes,'" he said.
He gave her $20 and told her to keep the change.
"And suddenly I saw her lips begin to tremble and tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She said, `Sir, you have no idea what this means to me.'"
Stewart went to the bank that day and took out $200, then drove around looking for people who could use a lift. That was his "Christmas present to himself." He's hit the streets each December since.
Doctors told Stewart in April that he had cancer of the esophagus(6) and it had spread to his liver. The treatment costs more than $16,000 a month.
His insurance company won't cover the cost of the treatment, which has left him concerned about his finances and his family.
Now, his mission is bigger than handing out $100 bills. Stewart wants to speak to community groups about his devotion to kindness and to inspire others to donate their time and money.
"That's what we're here for," Stewart says, "to help other people out."
二十六年来，一位神秘的圣诞老人在每年的12月默默地送钱给行人。最初，他只送5块和10块的票子，随着财产的增加，礼物的价值也越来越高。近些年，在旧货店、饭店、停车场，他开始送出100元大钞，有时一送就是2、3张。到现在为止，他送出的总额已达130万美元。这是个长久的节日秘密：神秘的圣诞老人究竟是谁呢？
但是现在，饱受化学治疗折磨却依然心系传递温暖的圣诞老人决定公布自己的真实身份。
他名叫Larry Stewart，现年58岁，来自堪萨斯州郊区李苏米特。他从事有线电视和长途电话业务，从中赚了几百万。
1979年12月，他被解雇后来到一家汽车旅馆疗伤，开始了第一次赠送。他已经连续两年在圣诞节前被解雇了。
他说："天气很冷，汽车餐厅服务员居然没有大衣穿，我对自己说：'她在这样冷的天气里工作赚钱。'"
他给了她20美元，并说不用找了。
"突然，我看见她的嘴唇开始颤抖，眼泪顺着她的脸颊落下。她说：'先生，你不知道这对我有多重要。'"
当天，Stewart走进银行提取200美元，然后开车四处寻找可能需要帮助的人。这是他"送给自己的圣诞礼物。"从此，每年12月，他都来大街上送钱。
今年4月，医生告诉Stewart他患了食道癌并已扩散到肝脏。每个月的治疗费高达16000美元。
他的保险公司不能负责医疗费，这样他不得不开始担忧经济状况和家人。
现在，他的任务比赠送100元大钞更为艰巨。Stewart想把自己的善举告诉社区团体，以此鼓励大家贡献更多时间和金钱。
Stewart说："帮助别人摆脱困境是我们存在的意义。"
中国国际广播电台 译
1. thrift store：旧货店
2.chemotherapy：化学疗法
3. drive-in restaurant：汽车旅馆
4. in a row：连续地
5. car hop：汽车旅店服务员
6. esophagus：食道
关键字:双语新闻
生词表:
For 26 years, a man known only as Secret Santa has roamed the streets every December quietly giving people money. He started with $5 and $10 bills. As his fortune grew, so did the gifts. In recent years, Secret Santa has been handing out $100 bills, sometimes two or three at a time, to people in thrift stores(1), diners and parking lots. So far, he's anonymously given out about $1.3 million. It's been a long-held holiday mystery: Who is Secret Santa?
But now, weak from chemotherapy(2) and armed with a desire to pass on his belief in random kindness, Secret Santa has decided it's time to reveal his identity.
align="center">
He is Larry Stewart, a 58-year-old businessman from the Kansas City suburb of Lee's Summit, Mo., who made his millions in cable television and long-distance telephone service.
His holiday giving started in December 1979 when he was nursing his wounds at a drive-in restaurant(3) after getting fired. It was the second year in a row(4) he had been fired the week before Christmas.
"It was cold and this car hop(5) didn't have on a very big jacket, and I thought to myself, ` She's out there in this cold making nickels and dimes,'" he said.
He gave her $20 and told her to keep the change.
"And suddenly I saw her lips begin to tremble and tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She said, `Sir, you have no idea what this means to me.'"
Stewart went to the bank that day and took out $200, then drove around looking for people who could use a lift. That was his "Christmas present to himself." He's hit the streets each December since.
Doctors told Stewart in April that he had cancer of the esophagus(6) and it had spread to his liver. The treatment costs more than $16,000 a month.
His insurance company won't cover the cost of the treatment, which has left him concerned about his finances and his family.
Now, his mission is bigger than handing out $100 bills. Stewart wants to speak to community groups about his devotion to kindness and to inspire others to donate their time and money.
"That's what we're here for," Stewart says, "to help other people out."
二十六年来，一位神秘的圣诞老人在每年的12月默默地送钱给行人。最初，他只送5块和10块的票子，随着财产的增加，礼物的价值也越来越高。近些年，在旧货店、饭店、停车场，他开始送出100元大钞，有时一送就是2、3张。到现在为止，他送出的总额已达130万美元。这是个长久的节日秘密：神秘的圣诞老人究竟是谁呢？
但是现在，饱受化学治疗折磨却依然心系传递温暖的圣诞老人决定公布自己的真实身份。
他名叫Larry Stewart，现年58岁，来自堪萨斯州郊区李苏米特。他从事有线电视和长途电话业务，从中赚了几百万。
1979年12月，他被解雇后来到一家汽车旅馆疗伤，开始了第一次赠送。他已经连续两年在圣诞节前被解雇了。
他说："天气很冷，汽车餐厅服务员居然没有大衣穿，我对自己说：'她在这样冷的天气里工作赚钱。'"
他给了她20美元，并说不用找了。
"突然，我看见她的嘴唇开始颤抖，眼泪顺着她的脸颊落下。她说：'先生，你不知道这对我有多重要。'"
当天，Stewart走进银行提取200美元，然后开车四处寻找可能需要帮助的人。这是他"送给自己的圣诞礼物。"从此，每年12月，他都来大街上送钱。
今年4月，医生告诉Stewart他患了食道癌并已扩散到肝脏。每个月的治疗费高达16000美元。
他的保险公司不能负责医疗费，这样他不得不开始担忧经济状况和家人。
现在，他的任务比赠送100元大钞更为艰巨。Stewart想把自己的善举告诉社区团体，以此鼓励大家贡献更多时间和金钱。
Stewart说："帮助别人摆脱困境是我们存在的意义。"
中国国际广播电台 译
1. thrift store：旧货店
2.chemotherapy：化学疗法
3. drive-in restaurant：汽车旅馆
4. in a row：连续地
5. car hop：汽车旅店服务员
6. esophagus：食道
关键字:双语新闻
生词表:
文章标签:双语新闻
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