Homeless mother, son celebrate Christmas in hotel thanks to donations from community

Instead of spending Christmas underneath a bridge inside a tent, a homeless mother and son are indoors, surrounding a Christmas tree, stockings and plenty of love, thanks to donations from the community.

AUSTIN, Texas - Michael and Nancy Rivers thought they'd be spending this Christmas in a tent underneath the bridge on 183 off of Burnet Road, but a volunteer had other plans for them.

They now have a roof over their heads for Christmas, thanks to donations from the community.

Aubrey Gill, of Austin, met Michael when he was handing out leftover breakfast tacos from work at a homeless camp under the bridge last Saturday. Michael told Gill how he and his disabled mother had ended up living there.

Gill asked Michael what he and his mother needed, and he said a warm place to stay.

Shortly after meeting Michael, Gill started a GoFundMe page for the mother and son, and within two hours, he exceeded his goal of $1,000 and was able to put the pair up in an extended stay hotel.

Within days, the GoFundMe has raked in more than $6,000 to help put the Rivers up in a hotel through the beginning of next year.

Nancy Rivers has been homeless since April and suffers from several medical issues, while Michael has been homeless for about two years.

However, instead of spending Christmas underneath a bridge inside a tent, they're indoors, surrounding a Christmas tree, stockings and plenty of love.