Hi, it's Mercedes Ruehl, and I am writing, in the spirit of the season, to support a fine young woman, one I have known since birth, who has fallen into a Dickensian abyss of bad luck, sickness, bankruptcy and loss.

The doughty young Eliza Murray set out to conquer the literary world of New York in 2007, shortly after graduating Summa cum Laude from The State University of New York New Paltz with a degree in English literature and Creative Writing (Her first play was produced to universal kudos; her poetry is succinct, moving, extraordinary.) But the world is legendarily tough on the dreams of the young, and after a few years of striving, writing, waitressing, she found herself in a surprising situation that doctors had long told her -- sadly and gently-- was impossible:

She was, to her unexpected joy, pregnant. With twins!

With signature determination, she began to prepare -- alone -- for motherhood, starting an extraordinary blog, a long and beautiful meditation on pregnancy. She changed her habits and her life. She gave birth to two marvelous, healthy boys.

To support them she enrolled in an arduous program to become an Operating Room Technician, finishing, of course, first in her class. She became the most sought after technician among her peers. She eventually married a kind and good man.

The boys are now thirteen. Her devotion to them is fierce, though personal dreams have been replaced by intractable necessity. Her husband's unexpected health issues, compounded by critical and extremely costly dental procedures, have left him unemployed for six months. Covid has recently racked through the entire family, causing Eliza to run through her allotted sick days caring for her family. Depression and anxiety has descended on the family, especially on one of the boys, for whom Eliza is seeking medical help for concerning abdominal issues, as well emotional counseling for anxiety. Eliza herself has been taken to the ER twice in the past 3 months fearing she was having a heart attack, due to blockage in the left bundle branch of her heart that has caused unbearable pain. She is also suffering from a hiatal hernia.

Their car is barely working, their rent is unpaid, and Eliza is currently at a breaking point from exhaustion and unshakeable anguish.

Two weeks ago they filed for bankruptcy.

My aim is to give this worthy family something they don't see even the smallest glimmer of at this moment: Relief. Hope. Rent. A Christmas tree. Some presents under it for the boys.

Thanks one and all for hearing this prayer. There is no gift too small.