Gabrielle Simmons’ six children wandered the aisles of Target on Friday knowing they could put whatever they wanted in their carts.

A PlayStation. Dolls. Paw Patrol toys. For an afternoon, every wish was granted.

Nothing could take away the pain of being without their mother this Christmas, but a community's generosity was a welcome distraction.

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Simmons, 27, was gunned down Nov. 6 at the southeast Oak Cliff Dollar General where she worked as a clerk. A boy who was just 15, Dallas police say, walked in and robbed her at gunpoint across the street from her kids' elementary school.

She emptied the register for him. But the robber, whose name was not released because of his age, shot her anyway. The boy who police say committed the crime is now in juvenile detention.

On Friday, Williams Chicken CEO and founder Hiawatha Williams and his wife, Doris, organized a shopping spree for Simmons' children at a Red Bird Target and urged them to fill their carts with gifts. The couple has run the restaurant near the family's apartment for three decades.

For about 12 years, customers at various Williams Chicken restaurants have donated spare change around the holidays. The Williams family matches the amount to bring Christmas joy to the community. This year’s total was $5,000, which paid for gifts for Simmons’ children and a community Christmas party on Saturday.

All six kids — ages 9 months to 11 years — and Simmons' fiance wore black shirts with Simmons’ photo on the front.

Nevaeh, 5, marched through the aisles, zeroing in on one toy, placing it in a red cart and quickly moving to the next.

Nevaeh Simmons (second from right), 5, the daughter of slain Dollar General clerk Gabrielle Monique Simmons, joined her siblings during a shopping spree Friday in the Red Bird area. All wore black shirts with their mom's photo on the front. (File Photo / Smiley N. Pool)

“I want this,” she said again and again. She grabbed an Ariel doll, a doll camper, a Barbie that came with a dog. And so many clothes.

“I need a bed and some shoes,” Nevaeh said, looking to accessorize her dolls.

“A girl can never have too many outfits,” agreed Stephanie Jimenez, a Target employee who, for the day, was Nevaeh’s personal shopper. She encouraged Nevaeh to add to the pile, which meant the little girl needed a second cart. Both were overflowing when they got to the checkout lane.

Williams Chicken CEO and founder Hiawatha Williams (center) and his wife, Doris, (top left) hugged the children of slain Dollar General clerk Gabrielle Monique Simmons during a shopping spree the couple organized at a Target store on Friday. The children and Simmons' fiance were treated to lunch and the surprise spree with money raised by the Williams Chicken "Change for Change" campaign. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Simmons’ fiance, Aris Joseph, the father of two of her children, said that in terms of presents, this Christmas would be the best they’d ever had. He hoped the joy of toys would take the children's minds off their mother’s murder for at least a little while. Seeing them so joyful, he said, made him feel the best he has since Simmons’ death.

“They’re taking a weight off me by doing this,” Joseph said, taking videos of the shopping spree with his phone. “Seeing them happy brings me relief.”

He said it was hard to gauge how his kids were doing since their mother’s death. He tries to let them enjoy being children as much as possible.

“I don’t dwell on it with them, while I take care of what needs to be taken care of,” he said. “I try not to keep their minds on it too much.”

The Williamses watched as the kids filled 10 carts with toys and clothes. The couple also bought gifts for a 12-year-old girl who is homeless.

“It’s so small. I wish we could do more,” said Hiawatha Williams. Still, he smiled wide as he watched the kids shop.

Martavionne Parker, 11, checked out a PlayStation game during the Target shopping spree. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Joseph said the Williamses’ kindness was “a blessing” during a difficult time.

“I’m very, very thankful, and I know my kids are, too.”

The three older boys — Martavionne Parker, 11, Aris Joseph Jr., 10, and Quaneiro Simmons, 9 — chose a PlayStation 4 as their big gift. Then they picked what Quaneiro called the “less fun stuff,” like coats and school uniforms, and tossed the items on top of the gaming system.

They also picked out Star Wars boxers for their dad. One pair was housed in a C-3PO head.

Their 3-year-old brother, Kei’veericky Simmons, had just one thing on his mind — Paw Patrol toys.

He knew exactly where to look and scampered through the store just ahead of his father. He just couldn’t reach the toys.

Kei'veericky Simmons, 3, one of the sons of slain Dollar General clerk Gabrielle Monique Simmons, rode in a full shopping basket during the shopping spree. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Kei’veericky, whose family calls him Smokey, stretched his arms toward a dog, Zuma, that came with a boat.

“Do you want this?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, his voice full of wonder.

He hugged the hard plastic toy as if it were the softest stuffed animal.

Then, with the help of his auntie Taiesha Parker, he found a red Paw Patrol shirt and firefighter pajamas.

Target employee Evanda Banks followed along, carrying the youngest, 9-month-old Ar’brielle, who got a toy dog and clothes to grow into.

“What about diapers?” she asked. “What else do you need?”

“A car seat,” said Parker, who has been helping her brother since Simmons’ death.

“We’ll get it,” Banks said, shifting the baby to her hip. “We’re going to make it work. I know there’s a budget. But we’ve got discounts.”

Gabrielle Simmons was shot and killed Nov. 6 at the Dollar General store at 4807 Sunnyvale in Dallas. (James Ragland / Staff)

In the end, they busted their $2,000 budget by almost $500 even after Target discounted everything 20 percent. The store also donated the car seat, diapers, wipes and, for Joseph, a watch.

Hiawatha Williams just swiped his credit card and smiled.

Nevaeh planned to open all her toys as soon as she got home, starting with a game called Pop the Pig, in which you feed a pig burgers and his belly grows until it bursts.

She was skeptical of adults who warned she'd have to wait until Christmas.

They'll spend the holiday with family in Mississippi.

That's where their mother is buried.