Actor-activist Alyssa Milano said Thursday that she solicited donations for her son’s travel baseball team because she couldn’t cover the costs herself.
The “Who’s the Boss?” alum came under fire last week after she posted a GoFundMe she created in support of an upcoming team trip, with many saying she and her husband, talent agent David Bugliari, could pay for the whole thing.
Read more: Alyssa Milano solicits donations to son’s baseball team fundraiser. Fans are not charmed
Milano addressed the backlash in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“Every parent raises money for their child’s sports teams and many of them do so through GoFundMe. I am no different,” she captioned the post. “As much as I’d love to pay for the entire team and their families for travel, transportation, hotel, food and beverage, uniforms, trading pins and all the things teams do for this kind of trip — I can not afford to do so. Maybe someday.”
The post itself was a screenshot of a comment on her 12-year-old son’s Instagram account, calling Milano’s fundraising effort “beyond ridiculous and selfish of her. Talk to your mom.”
Milano’s son, Milo Bugliari, responded: “You do realize I’m only 12 and I love my mom. My mom is the greatest human of all time. She does everything for everyone.”
“Regardless of how you feel about me, going on to my hardworking 12 year old son’s Instagram page and leaving these kinds of messages is so horrid. Leave the kids alone,” Milano said in her post. “If you are against donating — don’t donate. If you’d like to donate to help the team’s families — we appreciate it.”
Read more: Alyssa Milano slams ‘Texas Taliban’ over abortion law, backs Hollywood-driven boycott
Milano also said that, even if she did pay for the trip, “My trolls would find something else to be hurtful about.”
“I feel for you celebrities. Why do people feel entitled to your money?” one Instagram user commented in support of Milano.
“Regardless of her net worth she is teaching her kids life skills including hard work and responsibility,” another user echoed. “Also if she did pay for everything then people would be crying that she’s spoiling her son and not teaching him to be independent.”
Milano said last week on X that her son and his teammates regularly raise money themselves: “car washes, movie nights, and many other fun things!”
Addressing donors to the GoFundMe, which has exceeded its $10,000 goal, Milano wrote: “You’ve made things easier for these boys and their families.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
