The Christmas Gift: Touched By an Angel (TV Episode)

• Themes: Angels
• Director: Stuart Margolin
• Release Year: 1999
• Run Time: 60 minutes

Plot

Although she has turned her back on the poor, violence-ridden East Saint Louis ghetto of her birth, Brianna (Suzanne Douglas) is reluctantly drawn back to the old neighborhood for her annual Yuletide visit with LaBelle (Ruby Dee), the mother of her husband Robert ($Cleavant Derricks}). Brianna is clearly unhappy about visiting LaBelle, and even more so when the old woman generously opens her doors to an seedy derelict named Gabe (Ossie Davis). The situation takes a tragic turn when Robert is killed in a carjacking, whereupon LaBelle offers to help Brianna out until she can get back on her financial feet. But Brianna is too proud, and too stubborn, to accept such an offer, and it takes Monica (Roma Downey) to lead Brianna down the path to salvation--with a little help from Gabe, who blows a mean trumpet (yes, he's THAT "Gabe"!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide