A malnourished mum struggling to afford food amid the cost of living crisis received over £8,000 from kind strangers.
Kelly Thomson, 43, was twice hospitalised due to malnutrition due to eating just once a day - and even considered begging.
The mum-of-two bravely spoke out about the crisis - and strangers urged her to set up an online donation page, which she did, hoping to get £50.
Within days it racked up over £8,000 from hundreds of kind donors all around the world which allowed her to pay off all her debts - and reclaim her kids' toys from the pawn shop.
Now completely debt-free, Kelly, from Slough, said she has been able to sleep properly at night as the weight of her debts has been lifted.
She now eats three full meals a day and is able to do a weekly shop each week so the family always have full bellies.
Kelly said: "When I saw the fundraiser had reached £8,000 I nearly fainted. I cried my eyes out.
"I couldn't believe that something like that could ever happen to me.
"The first thing I did was go and get back my childrens' toys which I had to take to the pawn shop to buy food.
"I've paid off all my debts - I'm even in credit, and now I can sleep at night for the first time in years because I don't have debts hanging over me.
"I'm getting back to health and looking to get back into work, and I can tell it's a weight off my kids' shoulders because I'm not stressed.
"It has changed everything.
"Everyone that donated has given me and my children the lift we needed and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart."
Prior to launching her Go Fund Me page last month, Kelly had just £40 per week to spend on food for herself and her two kids - often leaving her eating once a day just to ensure her kids get fed.
She had been struggling to get by since getting long Covid in December 2020, when she was signed off from her job as a cleaner.
Her universal credit could cover her £1,300 monthly rent and a few other costs, but she said that leaves her with just £160 a month left for everything else.
She told how was forced to take her children's birthday gifts to Cash Converters to get money for food, and they rely on a food bank to survive.
But even after that, she would still have to go hungry just to spare enough food for her kids to survive.
Kelly lost two stone and even needed blood transfusions to replenish her depleted iron levels because she couldn't afford fresh food - with what little food she did get coming in tins from the food bank.
She said: "I would wake up every morning and think 'oh my God, not again'."
But Kelly set up a GoFundMe page on August 19 which proved to be life-changing - after thousands of pounds were raised in a matter of days.
Hundreds of kind donors brought the total up to £8,767 by the time Kelly closed the fundraiser and withdrew the money.
She said that thanks to the donations, she has been able to pay off all of her debts for the first time in nearly two years.
Her son, aged 15, and daughter, 12, have also had their belongings returned which Kelly had been forced to take to the pawn shop.
She has even been able to take them on a weekend away for the first time in as long as they could remember.
But most importantly, Kelly said she can now afford to do a weekly food shop each week - meaning her cupboards are full of fresh food and everyone in the family has been eating three nutritious meals a day.
Kelly said: "I closed the fundraiser because I knew we had enough - it went to £8,000 in days.
"I don't want to take what I don't need.
"I have had some trolls sending disgusting messages, but when they go through what I have, they'll understand.
"Karma always comes back to you - maybe one day they'll look back and realise they preyed on a vulnerable person they don't even know."
She added: "It's been unreal. It's been absolutely crazy. I can't believe the generosity of people.
"I could never have dreamt or imagined that this would happen!
"I'm so happy. Genuinely happy. Now I actually like waking up in the morning knowing my children are ok.
"All I wanted was to know that my children are happy and healthy.
"I'd like to thank all the beautiful people who helped me and my children, God bless every single one of you.
"I hope you all live long and happy lives."
