Anonymous donor helps bring Fort McMurray wildfire evacuee home to Corner Brook

David Layden can't quite believe he's back home in Corner Brook, thankstoan anonymous donor who stepped up to help after a wildfireinFort McMurrayleft him stranded in Edmonton with no money and no family.

"It feels like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders," Layden told CBC Radio's Corner Brook Morning Show Monday.

"It's good to be home."

Layden'sreturn marks a happy ending to his terrifyingordeal that began last Tuesday, when he and tens of thousands of others in FortMcMurrayfledfires that had ravaged much of the city and which continueto burn out ofcontrol.

• Not everyone has 'big Fort Mac money': Some Newfoundlanders can't afford to go home

• 'Like Armageddon': N.L.ers in Fort McMurray describe their wildfire escapes

Layden, who worked hard at Walmart to make ends meetin a city with a high cost of living, found himself at an emergency shelter in Edmonton with nothing but an ache for Corner Brook.

"At that point, Ijust needed to be with my family," he said.

"Ihad wondered, how am Igettinghome from Edmonton? I'd never been in Edmonton. Ididn't know the city. Ifound for the first day,day and ahalf,Ididn't have a wink of sleep."

And in the midst of that nightmare, Laydenfinally stumbled into a bit of unexpected luck.

Getting noticed

Laydengave an interview to CBClast weekoutside the emergency shelter, a reminder that not everyone in Fort McMurrayhad the resources to land on their feet after the fires.

His family back in Corner Brook, who had been in touch with Layden and knew he was physically OK, were shaken by what they saw.

"You could just see the stress on his face, and that's when it kicked in, this is real real, you know?" saidLayden's sister,Lil Alexander.

But Alexander and Layden's other relatives had no ability to help.

"We're a family struggling ourselves, living paycheque to paycheque," she said.

"We don't have the means to pay,even to help."

But there was someone else who saw that interview who could help, and did.

'I was speechless'

A woman, who wants to remain anonymous, reached out on social media after seeing Layden's interview, wondering how to help him a post Alexander saw and quickly responded to.

The donor wanted to pay for a plane ticket to get Layden home to Newfoundland.

A weight's been lifted off my shoulders- David Layden

"She had said that when she seen him on the news, it tugged on her heart and reminded her of her own son," said Alexander, adding the donor was not wealthy, but simply moved to help.

Layden was woken from his cot in the shelter with the surreal news.

"Iwas speechless, Ithought Iwas dreaming," he said.

Once it sunk in, Layden called the donor.

"Imust've thanked her at least a million times."

Thanks to her kindness,Layden arrived home in Corner Brook Saturday night, hoping to rebuild his life at home.

• Great Big Fundraiser: Alan Doyle organizes concert for Fort McMurray

• Cash to charities called better way to help Fort Mac evacuees

Alexander said after the donor stepped up, her family receiveda half dozen additionaloffers. She said shehopes people can continue to pay that forward, for all the other people affected by the tragedy.

"There's lots of ways to help, there's lots of ways to donate. There's still a lot to do," she said.