WATCH: Heartbroken single dad of seven bursts into tears when stranger gives him $10,000

Father-of-seven Dakota Nelson has had the worst 2018 imaginable. His perfectly healthy wife, Ream, suddenly died leaving him heartbroken and having to raise his kids alone.

No-one knows the cause of Ream's death but it occurred out of the blue when the couple were working in their garage together.

Dakota briefly left the garage to grab some extra tools, but when he returned he found Ream on the floor unconscious. Her face was blue, and she had stopped breathing.

He then attempted to perform CPR while their 11-year-old son called an ambulance.

“It is hard to accurately describe in words what it is like to have found my beautiful wife, whom I have fallen in love with and grown closer to in our 17 years of marriage on the floor, eyes open and unresponsive with our three-year-old standing over her. Having our children witness this is unthinkable,” revealed Dakota.

Ream was then in a coma for a few weeks before she finally passed away on September 23 at 3.45pm at just 38-years-of-age.

To manage the household and their two kids aged from one to 16, Dakota has had to take on three jobs to pay the bills.

On hearing of Dakota’s struggle, a stranger, known only as Secret Santa, gave the family a cheque and gift cards for $10,000 leaving the father speechless and in tears.

The family have also started a GoFund me page which has so far raised $24,000 towards the costs of running their household.

“The generosity of heart and spirit we have experienced throughout this time is overwhelming. Ream was a light in each of our lives, and the world is a bit sadder without her, but even in death she is teaching us to pull together to love and support each other unconditionally,” Dakota says.

Watch the video here (with tissues handy...)