A Florida mother of five is facing backlash after asking strangers on the internet to help pay for a Christmas trip to Disney for her children. The woman, who said she has been unable to work since April, launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $2,000 for the trip. However, her request has not gone down well with some viewers, who questioned why she was asking others to fund a vacation when many families are struggling to pay their bills.
The woman, who goes by @_imprettynene22 on TikTok, shared her appeal in a video while holding her youngest child. She explained that she was a stay-at-home mother who wanted to give her children a memorable Christmas but could not afford the trip herself.
“I really want to do something nice for my kids,” she said, asking her followers and supporters to contribute whatever they could toward the trip.
The mother explained that she stopped working earlier this year after experiencing health problems during her pregnancy. She has since given birth but said she has been unable to return to work because she has no one to look after her baby.
On her GoFundMe page, the woman added that she has been spending what little money she has on bills and everyday necessities since she stopped working. She said her children, particularly her daughter, would love to visit Disney, and that she wanted to give them “a happy memory to look forward to.”
“Even if you only have $5, $10, $50, it’ll go a long way,” she told viewers.
Netizens React to Florida Mom’s Fundraiser
The woman’s appeal received a less-than-enthusiastic response from several TikTok viewers, who felt that a Disney vacation was not a reasonable expense to ask strangers to cover.
“Some people have no shame at all,” one person commented. “Ma’am, we’re paying bills,” another viewer responded. A third wrote, “The audacity smh! This [expletive] is out of control.” A fourth added, “Just when I thought I’ve seen and heard it all. Unbelievable!”
Some parents in the comments said they could not afford such a trip for their own children, let alone contribute toward someone else’s vacation.
“Must [sic] of us can’t even afford to take our own kids to Disney,” one commenter pointed out. “I haven’t even taken my 1 child to Disney let alone take 5 kids to Disney land,” someone else chimed in.
A third chided, “Disney is a luxury not a necessity. Food, clothing, transportation and a roof are. Get your priorities straight.”
A few were less critical of the Florida mom’s request. Instead of slamming her, they wished her well and offered support, even if they could not contribute financially.
“I wish you the best and hope you’ll be [able] to reach your goal,” one netizen said. Another offered to help spread the word, writing, “I don’t have the money to donate but I will share this if that’ll help.”
Despite the criticism, the woman’s fundraiser has received some financial support. At the time of writing, her GoFundMe campaign had raised $130 toward its $2,000 goal, leaving her with $1,870 still to raise. She hopes to reach her goal by November 30 to make the Christmas trip possible.
