LONDON, ONT. -- It almost didn’t happen because of COVID-19 restrictions, but hundreds of long-term care patients at four hospitals in southern Ontario, including London and Strathroy, will get Christmas gifts thanks to an unlikely benefactor.

The Angel Project, an Ontario-based charity, made a stop at Parkwood Institute Wednesday to deliver Christmas gifts for 30 patients.

“They don’t have money or the financial resources,” said volunteer director and secretary/treasurer Dave Houghton. “Some of these people don’t have families. It’s just a simple gift for them, and the staff that you saw taking them in will deliver them Christmas morning.”

Normally, the Angel Project delivers the gifts in person, but this year the group was not allowed in the hospital due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, a small army of hospital staff showed up to unload gifts from vehicles to be given to patients.

“The tough part is we haven’t actually been able to go in with the guests and help with some of the patients and to visit and to have a chat,” said Angel Project volunteer director Becky Kellar.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist in women’s hockey says it’s important to make sure patients know they’re not forgotten at Christmas, “It is always nice to be able to bring things and hope that it makes someon’s day a little bit brighter.

The Angel Project helps long-term care patients with medical devices and other supports. This year it was forced to cancel as many as 10 fundraisers because of the pandemic.

Then last month the directors saw a story on CTV News London about the Christmas Wish Tree campaign by Stratford, Ont. resident Stewart Reynolds, better known as social media influencer Brittlestar.

They reached out, and he in turn reached out to his hundreds of thousands of followers. Soon enough Christmas wish lists from patients were fulfilled, and the gifts started arriving. Reynolds says he’s pleased he could help.

“That’s amazing me to hear. I’m so happy to hear that. I like to do good things, but I’m also very lazy. This is a good way for me to combine those two things. I like to do something good and make it as easy as possible.”

About 700 long-term care patients in all are receiving gifts, including 30 at Parkwood, as well as patients at hospitals in Strathroy, Burlington and Oakville.