BRANFORD — Christmas came early for a Lafayette County family.

On Dec. 14, Jimmy Cox, 49, received a surprise from Safe Step Cares with a Safe Step Walk-In Tub.

The company received several submissions from people who know Cox and wanted to give him something special. Cox has Klinefelter Syndrome, had broken his leg and has been battling cancer.

Since Cox has had Klinefelter Syndrome it has given him the capabilities both physically and mentally that of a 6-year-old. Klinefelter is a condition of a male having an extra X chromosome and is usually diagnosed in adulthood. In infancy and childhood, there are issues with motor development and cognitive development.

“We had 20 nominations for him, said Derek Farley, with Safe Step Cares. “We put it out to the sales team him and three other deserving people and he won the popular vote. We notified his parents two weeks ago and they’re thrilled and been trying to keep it secret and we are going to surprise him.”

Cox has a large support group that helped to give him and his family an early Christmas gift. Hiss parents, Helen and Sonny Nonnemacher, were thrilled that Cox was receiving this gift since it would make it easier and safer for them to help their son.

“We are just so happy and blessed to have this happen,” Helen said. “This helps us with taking care of Jimmy. He needs full time supervision and this provides a way to make him comfortable and easier on all of us.”

Safe Step Cares has been giving away tubs for the last five years and has now given away 50 tubs to those in need. The company’s 100 sales specialists voted for Jimmy to receive the tub.

The family wanted to keep the donation a secret to surprise Jimmy.

“Five years ago we met a woman named Shirley Perring and she made a nomination for Crestview Manor,” Farley said. “We donated two tubs and revisit them all the time and drop in on them some times. Someone nominated her four years ago and she just received her tub. She turned us on to Jimmy Cox and said that he was deserving so we gathered his story.”

Perring, who is a family friend, had received a Safe Step Tub from a giveaway and has been pushing and pushing for the community to submit Cox’s name for the Safe Step Tub donation.