A story of a single mother and her family living without power touched the hearts of several over the Christmas weekend.

The Royal Gazette on Saturday revealed that the 39-year-old mother and her three children and granddaughter had lived in their Elliot Street apartment without electricity for almost three months.

The woman -- whose husband was murdered two years ago -- explained that as a hotel worker she was laid off and therefore her electricity bill just "ran up'' until she could no longer afford to pay it.

Fortunately, she added, she had a gas stove for cooking.

While admitting the holidays were often depressing for her and she had "cried many a day'', the mother said the Coalition for the Protection of Children -- from whom her son was receiving treatment -- helped her cope.

"I don't want to bring down my family,'' she explained.

With Christmas coming she admitted she had to make sure her eight-year-old son understood the family's hardship.

She said the most frustrating thing about her situation was "when you don't have money to pay bills, buy clothes for your kids or buy them lunch to take to school''.

She said she struggled to keep her telephone on because her son had asthma.

But she said her main priority has been making enough money to pay her rent.

"I've been without food, lights and a phone to pay for rent,'' she noted. As soon as her story appeared in Saturday's paper, phones were ringing off the hook at The Royal Gazette's office.

Most callers offered to provide toys for the children.

But others thought of the entire family and donated a variety of items ranging from a Christmas ham, to two tubes of gas, and $50 in cash.

The mother, clearly overwhelmed by the public's generosity, said she was grateful for the gifts.

She told The Royal Gazette she had also had her lights turned back on after someone, who learned of her plight, loaned her some money.

On Sunday the Salvation Army visited her apartment and took her son -- who celebrated his ninth birthday yesterday -- to church.

Mrs. Fern Wade -- coordinator of Hands of Love charity which works closely with the poor, yesterday told the woman as result of her sharing her story the charity was able to get three other families' electricity turned back on during the holidays.

Upon hearing this, the mother said: "I'm glad I could help someone else.'' Mrs. Wade and the Hands of Love will be helping the woman with her immediate needs which include blankets and clothes for her youngest son and two-year-old granddaughter.

The donations will be dropped off tomorrow to the mother who has vowed to share if she receives too much "with the girl next door who also needs some help.'' Mrs. Wade said the charity will also look into finding steady employment for the mother after she admitted she would like to get out of the seasonal hotel business.