Taylor Swift and her mother Andrea are lending a helping hand.
The 31-year-old pop star and her mom quietly made a $50,000 donation Tuesday to a GoFundMe campaign for Vickie Quarles, a Tennessee mother of five who lost her husband to COVID-19 days before Christmas last year.
According to the GoFundMe campaign and Yahoo News, Theodis Ray Quarles suddenly died at age 48 on Dec. 18 after being rushed to the hospital a day earlier for “breathing difficulties.” The couple share five daughters: Alyssa, Anaya, Asia, Allie and Aryah.
“When the paramedics arrived to the Quarles’ home to transport Theodis… Vicki wasn’t allowed to accompany her husband due to quarantine restrictions,” wrote family friend DeQuanda Smith, who organized the fundraiser on Quarles’ behalf on Dec 22.
Smith continued: “Little did she know that this would be her final engagement with her best friend. She later received a call from the hospital that Theodis had succumb (sic) to this awful virus.”
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With Swift’s hefty donation, the Quarles family surpassed their $50,000 fundraising goal, which will “offer financial relief” and “basic immediate needs” as the family grieves.
“I am confident that their father, Theodis Ray Quarles, will be smiling from heaven,” Smith wrote in the original GoFundMe campaign. “As the Lord leads Vicki to shepherd (their children) to their destinies, your donation is most appreciated in championing this family to the finish line.”
As of Tuesday night, the Quarles’ GoFundMe page has reached $61,618 in donations.
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This isn’t the first time that Swift has surprised fans with generous donations.
In August, the “Folklore” singer donated £23,373 (approximately $27,486) to Vitoria Mario, who self-identified on her GoFundMe page as a “young Black 18 year old with a dream” of studying mathematics at the University of Warwick, in which she had received a conditional offer.
“Vitoria, I came across your story online and am so inspired by your drive and dedication to turning your dreams into reality,” Swift wrote at the time. “I want to gift you the rest of your goal amount. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor.”
In August 2019, the Grammy Award-winning pop artist surprised her fan, Ayesha Khurram, with $4,829.45 donation towards her college tuition. In October 2018, she donated $15,500 to support the family of Idaho mom Lauriann Bartell, who had been in a coma for the last three years.
Contributing: Jenna Ryu
