If you've been to a grocery store lately, you've most definitely experienced the phenomenon of panic-buying.
People are literally emptying supermarket shelves to prepare for a nation-wide lockdown to combat the coronavirus, and while this may provide them with some peace of mind, it's also depriving others of essential items that are no longer available in stores.
She hadn't come to her Washington, Utah Walmart looking to stock up like the rest of the shoppers.
"I think it was the straw that broke the camel's back for the week," Lauren told TODAY. "And my emotions kind of bubbled up and I was like, 'Somebody needs to hear this.'"
"To all you crazy people buying out the diapers," she tearfully began the clip as she quickly showed rows of empty shelves in the diaper aisle, "How am I supposed to diaper my child?"
As Lauren told Buzzfeed News, "I took the video intending to keep it in my drafts, but accidentally uploaded it and logged on an hour later to see it went viral. I debated taking it down, but decided it needed to be seen."
Her husband is ex-military and is now a full-time student. She works part-time at a movie theater in an effort to support her family.
"So, you know, we're low income families and so it's hard for us to be able to just go out and buy a large amount of things at one time."
"So those people that are buying in bulk or that are clearing the shelves make it harder for those of us that either are low income or only get paid every two weeks or even once a month," she explained.
Many users actually told the mom to "calm down", and accused her of overreacting.
"People saying things like, 'Don't have children if you can't afford them' or 'why are you crying? This is nothing to cry about'," she told TODAY.
Concerned users reached out to Lauren to see if they could help at all, with some even offering to send the family some diapers and even some money.
"I had to respond to every single one saying, 'Hey, we're fine. We're okay. I was able to find some,' but it's so wonderful to see all the positive comments," she said.
She told TODAY that her goal is for people to just "stop and think that there are other families out there that might also need things."
She added, "I just hope that people can understand that by purchasing 10 or 20 boxes at a time, it leaves nothing for those of us that can't do that."
h/t: TODAY
