$20,000 Energy Bill For Struggling Family’s Medical Care Needs Mysteriously Paid For By Kate Winslet

Nov 16, 2022 by apost team

Kate Winslet is one of the more well-known stars of today thanks to her iconic role as Rose in "Titanic." The late '90s flick is one of the top-grossing movies of all time and remains in the hearts of every romantic in the world. The movie put both Winslet and her co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, on the map, and both stars were propelled into illustrious careers afterward. While DiCaprio has gone on to star in multiple critically acclaimed Hollywood movies throughout his life, Winslet has been more discerning of the movies she chooses. 

This isn't to say that Winslet's career has been any less distinguished. The actress has received many accolades throughout her career including an Academy Award, Grammy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and more. Most recently, Winslet has been starring in the HBO mini-series "Mare of Easttown," where she plays Mare Sheehan, a police detective who Winslet described as a "wildly flawed, messy, broken, fragmented, difficult woman." 

While talking about the show, Winslet, a mother of three, also opened up about her husband, Edward Abel Smith, who was formerly known as Ned Rocknroll. Winslet and Smith have been happily married since 2012 and they share one son together.

When she's not acting in movies or caring for her own family, Winslet is also known for the odd act of altruism. In November 2022, one family unsuspectingly found that their "sky-high" energy bill had mysteriously been paid off. Speaking later to the hosts of Good Morning Britain, one Scottish mum described her shock after realizing the receipt suggested their benefactor was one of Hollywood's treasured actresses. 

Carolynne Hunter is like many parents who, without government support, have to care for their children alone regardless of how complex their needs are. While Hunter does have the "support of a Team of NHS Complex Care Nurses and Self Directed Support Staff 24/7," her daughter, Freya, has cerebral palsy, a condition that "requires a high level of nursing support and equipment at home." 

With energy prices rising, Hunter appealed for further assistance, however, "the UK and Scottish Government have failed to acknowledge (her) pleas for appropriate support to be put in place to prevent a Healthcare Crisis for (her) family."

She then turned to the internet for help. On her GoFundMe page, she explained plainly how difficult her family's position is. She wrote: "I have no way of reducing the usage of energy in our home. My older daughter and I have historically lived in fuel poverty to keep Freya safe and comfortable making sure all her medical needs are being met whilst allowing me to keep my bills as low as possible. We dread every winter in our cold home with an energy efficiency rating of D."

She set a goal of £20,000 (around $23,700), a number which aligned with the energy consumption graphs she attached that showed the estimated "forecast of (their) DD amount prior to the Liz Truss Price Cap Freeze of £2500 (approximately $2970)." However, as Hunter explained, "with the recent announcement from Jeremy Hunt next April (their) annual cost for Electric & Gas as forecasted by an energy advisor at Clacks Council will most likely be around £17,000 (around $20,200)."

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The Hunters were shocked when it seemed a donor had given a whopping £17,000 (approximately $20,200) donation. In speaking later to reporters, Hunter described how she received a call from GoFundMe explaining that a high-profile celebrity had made the donation. 

She admitted that given the struggles her family faced she was in low spirits prior to the donation. She said, "Our journey as family has been very traumatic and I just feel done at this point in my life." However, then that mysterious pot of gold was donated to her GoFundMe page and it seemed the family's future would be a lot brighter. 

Recalling the moment she realized what was happening, Hunter said, "When I heard about the money I just burst into tears — I thought it wasn’t even real." According to Hunter, the donation was signed, "Kate Winslet and family," which was a dead giveaway as to who made the life-changing gift. 

However thankful Hunter was for the donation, she was also keen to use her moment to rally the public behind the cause of reform in the medical system. She reminded people that neither is her situation rare nor is it over. She pleaded emphatically, “Our families are going to suffer, there’s going to be a mass crisis for the NHS and social care and children will die if their families are not able to pay for it.” 

Hunter had been campaigning for months to bring pressure on the government when it was suggested that she make a GoFundMe page. Let's hope something changes. 

What do you think of Kate Winslet's kind gesture to help out a family in need? What's your favorite film role of hers? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family and any fellow "Titanic" fans!