INDIANAPOLIS — Christmas arrived early for hundreds of Indianapolis Public Schools students on Thursday.
Former Indianapolis Colts player Marlin Jackson and many others held a toy drive Dec. 14 at Frederick Douglass School 19, which looked more like Santa's workshop.
The day was even a thrill for Santa's helpers, like Mwandishi Williamson.
"I'm a big kid at heart, and I see what fun I'm having just taking them out of the bags!" Williamson said.
Williamson watched as hundreds of kids picked out two toys she helped set out.
The toy drive is all made possible by the former Colts cornerback.
"There were multiple times at Christmas where I didn't have gifts, where there were gifts under the tree, and then, they'd disappear before Christmas because my mother had an addiction issue," Jackson said.
He remembers who helped him find his way.
"Realizing what helped me succeed were those strong, loving relationships with adults that cared," Jackson said.
Through Toys for Tots, local businesses and his Fight for Life Foundation, Jackson has been helping kids with Christmas for a decade.
"I see myself in all of them as they come through and they smile and they hug you and they high-five you, and it's the best feeling in the world to see a kid filled up with happiness and joy because that's what they're meant to have and hold," Jackson said.
More than the toys, this is Jackson's wish for when they go home.
"Feel motivated to continue forward and not lose hope because that's when things start to go in a different direction, when we lose that hope," Jackson said.
Jackson and volunteers collected more than 4,000 toys this holiday season.