Donor gives $18K to help family keep kids together after their mother died

COLLEGE PARK, Fla. — A Channel 9 viewer saw our story last year about 10 children who lost their mother right before Christmas, and they made it possible for the entire family to live together under one roof instead of being split up, living with different relatives.

“I’m so excited. I’m so blessed,” said Andrea Wingster, the children’s grandmother.

The anonymous WFTV viewer wrote an $18,000 check so Wiingster and her 10 grandchildren could rent a College Park home for one year.

“I may not know who you are, but I want to thank you and I want to thank God for making this happen,” said Wingster.

Wingster’s daughter, Desire, was struck by a car and killed on Edgewater Drive in December after her car broke down

The victim’s 10 children had been living with relatives and many were cramped into Wingster’s two-bedroom apartment.

“They have plenty of room now,” said Wingster. “It’s just beautiful.”

Melissa Price's daughters go to Lake Silver Elementary School with several of Wingster’s grandchildren. She said she's helped care for them since they lost their mom.

“I just love these kids so much,” said Price. “For them to be happy, to be together and to have space to run around, it just makes me happy.”

Price sent a text message to parents at Lake Silver requesting furniture for the family, and the response was incredible

“I sent it to five people and it went to 500 people,” said Price. “(Everyone) just kept forwarding and forwarding.”

In one day, parents and teachers furnished the entire four-bedroom house and moved in all the furniture.

Families brought clothes and food and even helped clean up the backyard.

And the children couldn’t stop smiling while Channel 9 was at the home with them.

But Price said she knows they’re still grieving.

“You can tell they are really hurting inside,” said Price. “It’s just going to be a long healing process for them.”

Wingster said she’s very happy with the community’s help and believes her daughter is smiling in heaven.

“She is saying, ‘My children are together by the grace of God and so much love from the community,’” said Wingster.

Wingster is now applying for a permanent home through Habitat for Humanity.

DONATE: Wingster Family Fund

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