UPDATE (7/21): Measha Brueggergosman has deleted her GoFundMe page and the links to it she shared on Twitter and Facebook. No explanation was given.
Pop Goes The News — Canadian opera singer Measha Brueggergosman is lashing out at the person who stole her property — and appealing to her fans for help.
The 39-year-old soprano was the victim of a break-and-enter on Monday night and now wants the public to help her “avoid an unjustifiable expense.”
Brueggergosman created a GoFundMe page on Wednesday in hopes of raising $4,500.
“If you feel you are in the enviable position to … make a small donation to help me recover what was lost, please do so here,” she wrote.
According to the singer and former Canada’s Got Talent judge, someone broke into her friend’s apartment and stole Brueggergosman’s laptop, iPhone and purse — including her wedding band.
“You have helped me realize one of my worst fears. You have turned my life inside out and stolen every, single piece of identification I had,” she wrote to the thief.
“You likely didn’t know you were stealing the LIFELINE of a world-traveler by stealing my Canadian passport, but that shouldn’t matter — I now have no IDs in my possession. It TAKES identification to GET identification and no one deserves this.”
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Brueggergosman also condemned the thief for taking her copy of a Miroslav Srnka score. “It’s of zero value to you AND its loss really hurts my ability to do my job at Festspielhaus Bregenz,” she said. “Such a douche move.”
According to her official website, Brueggergosman is “artist in residence” at the Austrian music festival until Aug. 21.
Brueggergosman, the mother of sons Shepherd and Sterling, said her wedding band was in her purse because she was having it repaired.
She did not say where the break-in occurred or whether her property was insured.
On Twitter — where she identifies herself as a born-again Christian — Brueggergosman shared a link to the GoFundMe page with the message: “Argh! Life sometimes hands you lemons.”
In 2009, Brueggergosman had life-saving surgery to repair a dissected aorta. A year later, she had a temporary separation from her husband Markus. The couple later found out she was pregnant with twins but then lost the babies.
The family has lived in Nova Scotia since 2013.
Brueggergosman, who performs Wednesday night in Stratford, Ont. with the Harlem Gospel Choir, said she was grateful that the intruder did not harm her or her friend.
She also offered forgiveness. “If you’re reading this and you are the person who stole my purse or you know who did, you may not want it or be asking for it, but my forgiveness is yours,” wrote Brueggergosman.
The GoFundMe appeal, the singer said, will allow her to “rely on the kindness of strangers” to replace the stolen items.
“I have a family to support and a job to do.”