Christmas toys stolen from dad who vows better holiday for his kids than he had

Chris Courchene said he never had a great Christmas growing up, and he's determined to make sure his kids do.

Even if all their gifts were stolen weeks before the big day.

On Monday, $400 worth of Christmas gifts were stolen from the trunk of Courchene's vehicle. 

He said this would have been the first Christmas his kids would get what they really wanted. 

"I saved up a lot of money. I did it right this year," Courchene said. "I went to Toys "R" Us and got the good quality toys. I didn't only buy for my kids — I  bought for other kids, too."

His son and daughter had a hand in choosing the gifts; they just didn't realize it. He said he was hiding the toys until his kids were asleep.

"I gave my kids 100 bucks each and [we] went to Toys 'R' Us Friday night. I said, 'Here, you guys shop for each other.' [The next day] we woke up real early in the morning. I took note of what the kids liked, then we bought it."

'I'll share your story'

But all that planning went to waste as the gifts were stolen just days later. Not knowing what else to do, Courchene asked his boss for an advance. What he got was more encouraging.

"[An advance] would put him behind and he's worked really hard to get out of that for years," Lucas Stewart said. "For a guy like Chris who puts in a lot of effort, it's always good to help people who are trying."

Stewart is the general manager of Manitoba Green Retrofit, a nonprofit that employs people who have a hard time getting jobs. He said he's known Courchene for about five years, and wanted to do more than give him an early paycheque. Instead, he's reaching out to the community for help.

"I said, 'If you're OK with it, I'll share your story and we'll see what happens,'" Stewart said. "Lots of people have seen that as an opportunity to share the Christmas spirit." 

'How could somebody do that to a kid?'

Courchene said he's been convicted of robbery in the past, but decided to change for his children. After getting out of jail at 25, he took the initiative to make sure his kids would never have memories like his own.

I hope it's some guy who has no work that's down on his luck, or a mother [who] really needs those toys for kids.- Chris Courchene

"I remember growing up in jail when I'd see my family and they'd grow up little by little. I didn't want to do that any more," he said.

"I wanted to break the cycle of gong to jail, drinking, violence. I don't want my kids to grow up like that."

That cycle, he said, has been with him through his childhood in the North End.

He said the first Christmas with his biological mother was one he never wants to repeat for his kids.

"She came to the house and was like, 'Look what I got you.' There were a bunch of toys in the trunk," he said. "[Then] her and her boyfriend went to get some beer and she ended up getting her leg broken by her boyfriend. He took the car, took the toys and sold everything. How could somebody do that to a kid?"

As someone who was involved in crime, Courchene said he can't imagine stealing from children.

"I would never steal toys," he said.

"There's kids in Winnipeg who get nothing at all, and they're just happy to be alive and to see the Christmas parade. Kids don't ask for much, but for somebody to do that, it's just wrong."

More than anything, Courchene said he feels bad for the person who took the gifts in the first place.

"I hope it's some guy who has no work that's down on his luck, or a mother [who] really needs those toys for kids," he said. "I hope some kids really needed it instead of just going to some junkie who's trying to fix themselves."

Stewart said anyone who wants to help can email MGR at manitobagreenretrofit@gmail.com or call 204-586-5755.