Raeford, N.C. — A soldier and his family, whose new Raeford home was burglarized while they spent the holidays out of town, were surprised by a flood of donations they've received to help them replace their stolen appliances and their sense of safety.

Army Sgt. Jason Kenney said his family was scared after the home they were moving into was ransacked. His daughter wondered if the "bad man" would come back.

But WRAL News aired a story about the break-in, prompting generous viewers to come forward with support, and now Kenney's three children are learning a different lesson.

"There's good people out there. They need to know that," Kenney said.

One man sent a check for $3,000, which Kenney used to buy a new washer and dryer.

"Ten dollars would have been a nice gesture from somebody and I would have been grateful, but $3,000? That's a big sum of money," he said. 

Kenney returned home from a year in Afghanistan Nov. 22. It was his third tour of duty.

On Jan. 2, the Kenneys came home from several weeks in New Hampshire visiting family to find someone had kicked in the back door of their house. Their washer, dryer, television and other items they had already moved in were gone. 

Their gate was swung wide open. Kenney said he thinks that's where the robber or robbers backed up a truck to load the loot.

"It's not how you want to start off the New Year," he said.

Hoke County sheriff's investigators said they found fingerprints at the scene, but they are not releasing any information about possible suspects.

Kenney is stationed at Fort Bragg.