A 19-year-old college student has posted a heart-wrenching advert on Craigslist looking to 'rent a family' to spend her birthday with.
Natalie Carson from Westminster, Colorado was adopted at a young age, but after suffering abuse at the hands of her adoptive family, she was put back into foster care aged 12.
She remained in care until she was 18 and "aged out," without a family.
In the ad Carson wrote: "I'm looking to rent a family that I can spend time with on my birthday in a few weeks."
"I'm not a weirdo or anything I was just inspired by another girl that rented a family from Craigslist in California. I just want one day that I can feel important and special, and like I matter even if I really don't."
She clarified: "I'm NOT looking for any monetary support as I also work. I can pay $8 an hour."
Speaking to ABC 7, Carson said: "Birthdays are something that I've never really had. I mean, obviously, I've had birthdays, but they've never been good. Every birthday is usually painful and hard."
She added that she wasn't expecting to have such an overwhelming response. She's believed to have received over 1000 replies, and is in contact with a few families, one of whom she hopes to spend her birthday with on 10 June.
Her advert has been removed from Craigslist.