TikTok Users Shower Love and Gifts on Single Dad and His Kids after Losing Their Mum

• At only 33 years old, Donald Wilson found himself with the burden of raising three children all alone after the death of their mum
• Wilson and Lakenya Wilbourn shared three children until her untimely death from a stroke at age 39 in August 2023
• The four were facing a bleak Christmas Day until TikTokers stepped in to help them by raising funds, buying them toys and giving them words of encouragement

Donald Wilson, a 33-year-old from Detroit in the USA, and his children thought they would have a bleak Christmas Day without their mum, but strangers stepped in to help them.

It was the first December since their mother passed away, and their fears of having a dim festive season were blown allayed with the kind intervention of generous TikTok users.

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Wilburne dies of stroke

In the last three months, the last thing that Wilson had time to think about was Christmas Day as he lost his girlfriend in August 2023, and he had to step up to take care of his three children: Donald Jr., 5, Poetry, 4 and Honesty, 1.

Lakenya Wilbourn, 39, died of a stroke, and although they were no longer together, the two had an amicable co-parenting relationship.

“It was more day-to-day survival. I didn’t have any money; I went to emergency food pantries... it was a lot," Wilson told People.

Wilson, who lost his own father when he was just three and was raised by a single mum with an addiction problem, had worked his way up to become a prep cook.

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McConnell starts fundraising on TikTok

After successfully leaving a troubled youth behind, Wilson wanted to make a good life for his kids and other older children from a previous relationship. However, after Wilburn's death, he said he felt defeated and was losing faith.

After Wilbourn's death, he had to take time off from work to sort out his affairs and to deal with his grief; they relied on the short-term disability cheques.

TikTokers help the Wilsons

Colin McConnell, a 48-year-old TikTok producer, knew Wilson was struggling after the latter poured his heart out.

On the fateful day, he took an action that would go on to change the course of life of the man by soliciting help for him online. He begged his scores of followers and in a short period of time, gifts of different varieties started pouring in.

The gift included clothes, cards, toys, food, and cash.

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The widower reacted by saying he could not believe it. He likened the experience to scripted plays in movies.

He expressed profound happiness, mentioning that he had never experienced such intense joy.

He shared,

"I never truly knew what joy was, but if this is what it's like, I wish everyone could feel it. I assure you, it will fill your body and reflect in your gestures, making you want to share it with others."

The Wilsons were really touched by the fact that people cared for them, and some also sent them words of encouragement.

He disclosed he read some of the cards with his teenage son and it surely did brought laughter and joy onto their faces.

They went on to hang the gift cards around, using some to decorate the Christmas tree.

Man in tears as mum dies

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a young man emotionally recounted his mother's passing right after she visited his house.

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He explained that it was her first visit, and he ensured she felt at ease.

Regrettably, he expressed that he had no inkling it would be the final time he'd have the chance to see her alive.

Source: TUKO.co.ke