Down on her luck, facing eviction with six children hopeful for gifts during the holidays, Tyshika Britten turned to Craigslist for help.
It was around 4 a.m. and her children were asleep when Britten wrote:
"I'm so hurt," the 35-year-old hairstylist said in a post that has since been removed. "I'm trying my best. I pray everyday and now I'm begging for help. I know it's not about the gifts, but they are kids! I'm such a failure right now... please help me."
It started slowly at first. She got two responses the first week after it was posted. Neither was helpful, The Washington Post reported. Soon, however, Britten was inundated with offers of assistance, including receiving $10,000 from a stranger -- Eddie Vedder.
"Is he in a band?" Britten said.
She checked Google and the family has been watching Pearl Jam videos online since.
Vedder was compelled to help after reading about her hardships. He felt it mirrored some of his own childhood.
"I was just so moved by the story and what this mother did for her children," Vedder said Sunday. "I thought those kids must be so proud of their mother for reaching out. That takes a lot of courage."
A GoFundMe page has helped the family raise more than $18,000.
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