After going undercover at his business, a boss has gifted his employee the equivalent of £20,000 to go towards a new home. Paul Quentel, President of Alfred Angelo, appeared on the fifth season’s sixth episode of CBS program Undercover Boss.
His company is one of the largest bridal retailers in the United States.
While in disguise, Mr Quentel met Leanne, an assistant manager for one of his company’s many sites.
Recognising her hard work, and hearing her tragic backstory, the CEO decided to help her out financially.
The Undercover Boss asked his employee: “So, what are you doing now? What are your plans?”
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She replied: “Next year, I’m marrying my girlfriend so I have a wedding to plan for. I have been on my own since I was 17.
“They weren’t comfortable with me in the house anymore once they found out about my sexual orientation
“It actually was devastating to me and I had to leave. There wasn’t really any place for me to go.
“I just packed a bag and went to someone’s house and slept on the couch. It just kind of snowballed into never really going home.”
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After “overstaying her welcome” living on a friend’s couch, she ended up in Penn Station in New York City.
To survive, the employee slept on a bench and washed her hair and body in sinks to clean herself.
After a period of time being homeless, Leanne found it in herself to find a job and started earning money.
She added: “It was time for me to get on my feet. Luckily, I was looking for a job and someone was looking for a salesperson.
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“From there, I got recruited to work someplace else and just grew into management. A lot of people think, for homeless people, there’s not really anywhere to go but down.”
After hearing her “incredible” story, Mr Quentel decided to reveal his identity to Leanne and gifted her money to help her out with purchasing a home.
Before doing this, the CEO offered important assistance in preparation for her wedding through his bridal company.
He said: “You shared an incredibly personal story with me. You told me you wanted to get married.
“You told me you were having your dress specially made but I want to make sure Alfred Angelo provides you with any other dresses you need.
“This is for your bridesmaids, your flower girl and, most importantly, your fiance.”
Getting emotional, Mr Quentel cited Leanne’s history of homelessness as to why he will be gifting her $25,000 (£20,064) to pay for a deposit for a home.
Bursting into tears, she said: “He just gave me so much money. No one in my family has helped out.”
Episodes of Undercover Boss are available to watch online on CBS’s website and on Channel 4.
