Ellen DeGeneres gives inspiring family $1M in record giveaway

After being touched by a family’s positive spirit and “pay it forward” attitude, Ellen DeGeneres gifted the family $1 million on her talk show -- the biggest cash gift in the show’s history.

Last November, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" gifted Christi and Robert Daniels and their four sons a prize package of thousands of dollars in gift cards, a widescreen TV and two plane tickets as part of the show's "12 Days of Christmas" giveaway. The Daniels family was chosen for their work to give back to their community, despite their financial troubles, E! News reported.

On Thursday’s show, a producer surprised the Daniels family at their Hawthorne, California, apartment and brought them to the set for the show’s taping. DeGeneres praised the family for their giving spirit.

Viewers learned that while Christi Daniels was using one of the Walmart gift cards the family had received from the show, she paid for the items of a family behind her in line.

"No matter what you're struggling with, no matter how you're living paycheck to paycheck, you still want to pay it forward, you still help others," DeGeneres said.

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DeGeneres then told the family that, in a partnership with Cheerios, the show would be giving them $500,000.

"That is gonna take care of a lot," DeGeneres said. "It's gonna take care of your debt; it is gonna take care of college for your kids. You're in a two-bedroom apartment; you can buy a house now."

DeGeneres then announced that Cheerios would be giving the family another $500,000 to continue helping those in need.

DeGeneres said the Daniels’ $1 million gift is the “biggest surprise” the show has ever done for one family.

Cox Media Group